Lakewood Lore

Nothing keeps postmen from completing rounds

The first postal route west from Cleveland to Detroit was established by the federal government in 1809, with a day's load of mail between the two settlements generally weighing only 5 to 7 pounds and traveling at the rate of about 30 miles in 24 hours.

The earliest carrier in our environs during that period was an Edward McCartney, who toted dispatches on foot in a leather satchel over the old Indian trail that became Detroit Road. One of his regular stops was a hotel west of Rocky River in the former community of Dover.

After the start of the War of 1812, pony express was used to transport mail to outlying points. In 1820, stage coaches took over the job, and in 1852, railroads replaced the coaches.

First postmaster hereabouts probably was a Mr. Goodwin. In 1827, he opened an office along a stage route near the mouth of Rocky River. When that route was changed to go over Hogsback Hill, a little south of today's Hilliard Bridge, Calvin Giddings, who lived on the hill, became postmaster.

In 1834, Rufus Wright received the title. He used a tavern he owned as his office. It was on the west bank of the river where the Westlake condominium now stands. Three of his sons followed him in succession, extending the Wright family dynasty until 1853.

With the postal appointment being as prized as it was, there were many other early local postmasters who followed the Wrights. There also were changes in post office sites through Lakewood's pioneer years, when we were known merely as Rockport Township and later East Rockport.

Old-timers will recall the opening of the first post office in the city of Lakewood in 1921 on West 117th Street just north of Detroit Avenue. It is still in use.

Seven years later, another at 18624 Detroit began operation to serve our community from Lakeland Avenue west, as well as the city of Rocky River. It no longer exists, but the building remains and now houses several private businesses.

The post office at 1435 Warren Road was built in 1935 as a Works Project Administration undertaking when Franklin D. Roosevelt was president and James A. Farley, U.S. postmaster general.

Closed since last Nov. 14, it is the one most of us will remember nostalgically, having for years shuffled in and out through its heavy, heel-catching doors. That building, currently unoccupied, had only 10,000 square feet of working space, compared with the 25,000 at Lakewood's new post office location just south of it. The new site, which formerly housed Fazio's supermarket, graciously provides doors that open automatically.

The name "postmaster" was discontinued in the Lakewood area many years ago in favor of "superintendent." Present designation is "post office manager," and James H. Cast has held that title here since August 1985.

This article by Dan Chabek appeared in the Lakewood Sun Post September 7, 1989. Reprinted with permission.

[See the Dec. 3, 1992 Lakewood Lore article, Is there faith in the city's future? You can bank on it, for updated information on the Warren Road post office building.]

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