October 2025: The Jackson Post Office, circa 1900
- avonohlen
- Oct 1, 2025
- 1 min read
At the turn of the 20th century, the Post Office was more than a place to collect mail — it was a hub of community life in Jackson, Minnesota. Patrons often gathered here, waiting for their mail to be sorted or for the General Delivery windows to open. As Grace Holecek, postmaster from 1940 to 1963, later wrote:
“The Post Office was a general meeting place while patrons waited for their mail to be deposited in their mailbox or waiting for General Delivery Windows to be opened.”
By January 1924, the City Council had authorized the numbering of properties to make home delivery possible. Twice-daily delivery became the norm, with mail carriers tackling both the growing town and its many hills. Holecek remembered:
“When Jackson received ‘city delivery’ Fred Crowe and Clarence Greenwood, Jr. carried the two city routes — Clarence the west side and Fred the east with the hills to climb.”
This photograph, featuring Postmaster Herman L. Strom and Stella (Crane) Ashley, captures a moment in that earlier era — when the Post Office was as much about community connection as it was about correspondence.
