I was watching my village mail carrier go door to door delivering mail the other day and I wondered when that delivery began.
Researching, I read in the April, 1916 Morrow County Independent, Congressman John R. Key a member of the U S Congress, had visited Cardington and issued an appeal to residents and patrons of the Cardington Post Office to assist the businessmen in establishing free mail service.
That appeal involved filling out a coupon printed in the paper on which the resident could vote “yes,” or “no” for free mail delivery. It was noted that Mount Gilead village residents had in-town delivery for a year.
Just two weeks later, word was received by Postmaster H. N. Steger that free mail delivery was approved for Cardington, effective May 15, 1916. Remember up to this point, in-town residents were required to go to the post office to get their mail. The office was in the basement of the Beatty and Chase Building on the northeast corner of East Main and North Marion streets.
Residents were asked to purchase a box from a local business and place it near the front door of their residences. The town was divided into four districts with Marion Street being the dividing line. Charles Nulk was to serve as carrier in the two west districts and Charles Haycook was to serve as carrier in the two east districts. It was noted that no one was compelled to receive their mail from the carrier “but will greatly aid the service and save you easy steps to have your mail delivered to your home.”
Businessmen were told they could still get their mail from the post office as usual, directly after the arrival of the trains.
Further research reveals on February 1, 1902 there were two mail carriers in the Cardington area, A. G. Sherman who delivered south and west of the village and Clan Miller who delivered north and northeast. It was noted rural carriers drove horse and buggies and would stop at the same place every day so the carrier could rest and feed his horse before finishing the route.
In 1905 there were 16 rural routes in Morrow County: Mount Gilead had five; Cardington, two; Marengo, five; Fulton, one; Edison, one; Iberia, one and Lexington-Troy Township, one.
Mail delivery has come a long way and bless their hearts, the carrier still follows that well known creed: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stops these carriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
I, for one, am grateful for the mail delivery to my door.
Snippets from the past
August, 1939: Kent Curl, 9, won first prize ($5) in his age group in a talent contest at the Richwood Fair. The Cardington lad played the drum solo to “Stars and Stripes Forever.” A survey of 10 Morrow County cemeteries by the WPA found Glendale to be the largest with 38 acres. It was found that 760 veterans were buried in these cemeteries.
August, 1949: Henry Newcomer, a 1949 Cardington High School graduate, enlisted in the United States Air Force.
August, 1989: Douglas Gerald Goodman, of Cardington, received his Degree of Associate in Applied Science from The Ohio State University.
August 1989: Named to the Ohio State University Dean’s List for the spring quarter were Sherry Ann Babbs, Marsha Ann Levering, Dawn Leann Heimlich and Randall Spaulding, all of Cardington.
