This tidbit of history is interesting in that the Great
Northern breathed life into many towns it touched, or enlarged those it came
across. While the post office dates to not coincide with the dates the railroad
built through the area, it does give you an idea of how the population ebbed
and flowed over time.
Waterville
Established November 1, 1887. Waterville had mail service from Wenatchee which was daily
as early as September 14, 1894, and a Star Route from Coulee City provided
additional mail daily on a circuit which made mail available to the small post
offices of Baird, Spencer, and Farmer. Waterville’s own Star Route was opened
in 1896 to take mail over Badger Mountain to make contact with the Great
Northern at Columbia River Siding, and return the following day. This route ran
until about 1915 or 1916. From 1908 to 1911 before the Great Northern Railroad became
the carrier of the mail, a steamboat service from Wenatchee dropped mail off at
the foot of Corbaley Canyon near the present town of Orondo and from there it
was brought by stage coaches to Waterville. There was activity at the post office only at mail arrival
time. It arrived at most any hour of the day or night.
Douglas
Established February 14, 1888. Discontinued July 12,
1968-mail to Waterville. The town name honors Stephen Arnold Douglas, Illinois
statesman after which Douglas County was named. The first mail service to Douglas was provided between
Coulee City and Waterville. In 1911 the GN branch from Wenatchee to Mansfield
provided mail service. A local dray man, performed messenger service between
the depot and post office. In 1918 the GN reduced its daily service to tri-weekly which
immediately proved unpopular so it became necessary to find other means of
bringing the mail to Douglas.
Mansfield
Established February 1, 1905. Mansfield stared at a point 1 ½ miles northeast of its
current location, but when the GN halted construction of its branch in 1909,
the town moved literally building by building to the railroad. The right-of-way
had been surveyed to go through the original town of Nelson, Leahy, and Delrio.
Failure to do so spelled eventual doom to those three post offices.
Palisades
Established September 10, 1908. Palisades post office actually started about 4 miles
northeast up the coulee on what was known as the “Upper Ranch.”
Withrow
Established March 4, 1910. Discontinued December 29,
1967-mail to Waterville. Withrow originated with the GN.
Hopewell
Established June 27, 1910. Discontinued March 31, 1911-mail
to Palisades. Located 6 miles north of Palisades, 15 miles southeast of
Douglas. On December 12, 1916 the office of McCue was opened at this
location.
Appledale
Established January 23, 1912. Discontinued February 28,
1927-mail to Palisades. Located 6 1/2 miles southwest of Palisades.
Tonkey (Touhey)
Established May 21, 1912. Discontinued April 30, 1914-mail
to Mansfield. Located 5 miles southwest of Mansfield. The railroad siding
is named Touhey but when entered on the post office application it was misinterpreted. The office did not operate long enough for the error to be
corrected.
Alstown
Established May 9, 1913. Discontinued June 15, 1934-mail to
Waterville. Located 5 miles south of Douglas. The land hereabout was owned by one Al Rogers, who also had
a store and thought it could hardly be called a town at the time, it did
acquire the name of Al’s Town.
McCue
Established December 12, 1916. Discontinued June 15,
1920-mail to Palisades. Former location of Hopewell.
Columbia River
Established December 19, 1908. Discontinued October 30,
1926-mail to Appledale.
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