Cave Post Offices in Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida by Thomas Lera American Spelean History Association Special Publication Number Four May 2018 The American Spelean History Association The American Spelean History Association (ASHA) is an internal organization of the National Speleological Society. It is devoted to the study, interpretation, and dissemination of information about spelean history, which includes folklore, legends, and historical facts about caves throughout the world and the people who are associated with them, their thoughts, philosophies, difficulties, tragedies, and triumphs. Membership: Membership in the Association is open to anyone who is interested in the history of man’s use of caves. Membership in the National Speleological Society is not required. The Journal of Spelean History is the Association’s primary publication and is mailed to all members. The Journal includes articles covering a wide variety of topics relating to man’s use of caves, including historical cave exploration and use, saltpeter and other mineral extraction, show cave development and history, and other related topics. It is the primary medium for conveying information and ideas within the caving history community. A cumulative Journal of Spelean History index is available on the Association’s Web site, www.cavehistory.org, and issues over five years old may be viewed and downloaded at no cost. Membership: ASHA membership (or subscription) cost $2.00 per Journal of Spelean History issue mailed to U.S. addresses. Checks should be made payable to “ASHA” and sent to the Treasurer (Robert Hoke, 6304 Kaybro St, Laurel MD 20707). Sorry, we cannot accept credit cards. Check the Association’s Web site for information on foreign membership. This Special Publication of the American Spelean History Association is available on the Association’s Web site at www.cavehistory.org/special-pub-4.pdf. It can be downloaded at no cost. May, 2018 Cover Upper image: Circular, 28.5 mm, date postmark with target killer dated Jan 10, 1895. Lower image: July 18th / [18]56 manuscript postmark with pen cancelled stamp. Source: Briggs, D. R., Lera, T. M., & Ferguson, F. (2018). Florida Stampless Postal History 1763-1861, Second Edition in publication. CAVE POST OFFICES IN ALABAMA, ARKANSAS, and FLORIDA Thomas Lera When reorganizing my collection of United States cave postmarks, I was inspired to research the history of the existing and discontinued cave post offices, which included, those in Alabama, Arkansas and Florida. This is one of the monographs which updates and expands on my 2011 book Cave Post Offices, published by Cave Books. The major source of information regarding the postmasters and post offices can be found at: • The digitized daily U.S. Postal Bulletin and U.S. Postal Laws and Regulations at http://www.uspostalbulletins.com; • Official Register of the United States, containing a List of Officers and Employees in the Civil, Military, and Naval Service. The Post Office and The Postal Service, Washington D.C. Government Printing Service, published every two years; • Prior to 1971, the primary sources of information are National Archives Microfilm Publication M1131, Record of Appointment of Postmasters, October 1789 – 1832, and M841, Record of Appointment of Postmasters, 1832 – September 30, 1971. Record Group 28: Records of the Post Office Department, 1773 – 1971. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/17027522. • Reports of Site Locations, 1837 – 1950, from Records Group 28 - Alabama, Arkansas and Florida Generally, a Post Office’s establishment date is that of the appointment of its first postmaster. http://webpmt.usps.gov/pmt002.cfm. Historical maps were found at the University of Texas Libraries, Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/topo/virginia/. Red arrows point to the location of the post office. I would like to thank Robert Hoke of the American Spelean History Association, who provided comments on the organization and layout, and posted it on their website (http://www.cavehistory.org), Baasil Wilder, NPM Librarian, for his research on Arkansas Post Offices, and Sandy Fitzgerald who edited the article. I appreciate all their help. If after reading this monograph, if you have postmarks of these caves, natural bridge, and/or grotto in your collection, I would appreciate a scan sent to me at: [email protected]. 1 Table of Contents Alabama Post Offices • Cave Spring --- page 3 • Natural Bridge --- page 4 Arkansas Post Offices • Cave City --- page 6 • Cave Creek (Cavecreek) --- page 9 • Cave Springs --- page 11 Florida Post Office • Econfina --- page 13 • Natural Bridge --- page 16 End Notes --- page 17 2 CAVE SPRING, ALABAMA POST OFFICE (09/11/1856 – 07/20/1866; 06/12/1871 – 10/27/1887; 04/24/1888 – 07/25/1894) Figure 1. Portion of the 1881 Postal Route Map of East Alabama, West Georgia and Northwest Florida. The yellow line indicates twice weekly mail delivery. 1 POSTMASTERS 2 CAVE SPRING POST OFFICE FAYETTE COUNTY, ALABAMA Name Title Date Appointed Samuel Richardson Postmaster 09/11/1856 Simeon Hamil Postmaster 02/22/1861 Samuel Richardson Confederate Postmaster 10/09/1861 Simeon Hamil Confederate Postmaster 07/01/1862 – 06/30/1865 Discontinued 07/20/1866 by U. S. P. O. D. Reestablished 06/12/1871 Joel Ashcraft Postmaster 06/12/1871 - 1879 Isaac N. Ashcraft Postmaster 1879 – 1881 Joel N. Ashcraft Postmaster 1881- 10/27/1887 Discontinued 10/27/1887 with mail to Pilgrim Reestablished 04/24/1888 George W. Ashcraft Postmaster 04/24/1888 – 06/27/1893 William. H. Brown Postmaster 06/28/1893 – 01/21/1894 Discontinued 01/31/1894 with mail to Pilgrim where Joel N. Ashcraft was now postmaster The first Cave Spring post office was in the Ashcraft Mercantile Store. Alabama historians did not specifically mention the springs for which the town is named, and there are no caves listed in the Alabama Cave Survey in Fayette County. The rock formations are gravel, mudstone and 3 shale which do not support caves. Joel Ashcraft’s site survey of 04/10/1871 stated the post office would serve 73 residents, however, when proposed postmaster George W. Ashcraft completed his site survey on 03/22/1888, he certified the post office would serve only 55 residents. Currently the author does not know of any postmarks from the Cave Spring, Alabama Post Office (fig. 1). Researching postmasters is challenging since both Union and Confederate post offices did not always keep accurate records. Case in point, Simeon Hamil was postmaster at Cave Springs, Georgia from October 9, 1861 to July 1, 1862, when he resigned. The Official Register shows a Samuel Hamil as postmaster for Cave Spring, Alabama, from July 1, 1862 to July 1, 1865. On March 2, 1866, S. Hamil returns as Cave Spring, Georgia postmaster. Was this the same person who moved between Cave Spring, Georgia, and Cave Spring, Alabama? Father and Son?? Post Office error??? Drop me a line if someone knows or discovers the answer. NATURAL BRIDGE, ALABAMA POST OFFICE (07/19/1890 – open) Figure 2. Left, Portion of the 1881 Postal Route Map of East Alabama, West Georgia and Northwest Florida. showing Larissa, later Natural Bridge. The yellow line indicates twice weekly mail delivery. 3 Right, Portion of the State of Alabama 1928 Post Route Map showing Natural Bridge post office. 4 The town of Natural Bridge, in southwest Winston County located in the northwest part of the state, is named after the distinctive sandstone bridge located in Natural Bridge Park to the west. 4 Located east of the Mississippi River, this is the longest natural bridge at approximately 145 feet long and 60 feet high at its highest point. Prior to 1885, the Natural Bridge area was originally known as Larissa. The name Natural Bridge was later settled on when the railroad began construction (fig. 2 left). A post office, with John L. Cagle as postmaster was established 07/19/1890 on mail route 124011, about 100 feet from the Natural Bridge station on the North Alabama Railway line (fig. 2 right). POSTMASTERS 5 NATURAL BRIDGE POST OFFICE WINSTON COUNTY, ALABAMA Name Title Date Appointed John L. Cagle Postmaster 07/17/1890 Henry A. McNutt Postmaster 09/29/1891 Joel A. King Postmaster 04/19/1897 Sarah E. Denton Postmaster 05/21/1905 Sarah E. Johnson (Married) Postmaster 06/05/1910 Mrs. Ida F. Burbank Acting Postmaster 11/01/1925 Postmaster 02/13/1926 Virgie Thomason Acting Postmaster 01/14/1929 Postmaster 04/15/1929 Mrs. Lille West Officer-in-Charge 03/31/1946 Postmaster 12/16/1946 Lester E. Hilton Acting Postmaster 01/05/1961 Postmaster 08/17/1961 Currently the author does not have of any postmarks from the Natural Bridge, Alabama Post Office. 5 CAVE CITY, ARKANSAS POST OFFICE (12/16/1892 – open) Figure 3. Portions of the 1891 and 1895 Arkansas Postal Routes showing Loyal on the left and Cave City on the right. Yellow line indicates twice weekly mail delivery, blue line three times a week. 6 Cave City is a small community straddling the northern Independence and southern Sharp County border in north-central Arkansas, which occurred in 1879 when a three-mile strip of Independence County was transferred to Sharp County. The town takes its name from the large multi-room Crystal River Cave, which is located directly beneath the city. For many years a city well drilled through the cave to Crystal River was the major source of water for the entire area. There was a fascination with an “endless” source of water that remained a constant fifty-seven degrees. In the early 1800s, the cave was known as “Horn Cave,” after the family that owned the land above it. Its name was changed to Crystal River Cave and it became one of the first caverns in Arkansas to be opened for tourists.