Salisbury Post Office
Washington D.C.’s records say postal service was established in Salisbury as a fourth class office on June 23, 1862. John Hutchinson, brother-in-law of Judge Salisbury was the first postmaster officially appointed. The first year’s office receipts were $14.40, and the postmaster’s salary was $23.48.
Mail came to Salisbury by stagecoach and horseback. When trains began to operate through Salisbury, the volume of mail began to grow, and the post office was moved. I believe the post office was located at Broadway and East third street according to memories of Judge Salisbury’s relatives. Records show that Mrs. Salisbury carried the mail from Old Allen (near Moberly).
The story was told that during the Civil War, soldiers of both sides stopped her and opened the letters to get military information, but Mrs. Salisbury demanded that each letter be returned to the envelope so the families could receive them. More growth brought the office to second class in 1916, and it was moved nearer the depot at the corner of East Second and Broadway.
In 1916, village delivery service was established. Then one man delivered all the letters and package mail to homes of the citizens and the receipts totaled $7900.
Salisbury continued to grow, and the mailed department tried to keep pace. In 1944, the mail volume and number of homes qualified Salisbury for city delivery. The records show 592 homes eligible. The post office was still working largely with hand equipment but received an electric cancelling machine that year to help with the growing volume. The postmaster also convinced the postal service that Salisbury needed more help and was granted an extra city carrier.
During World War II, in 1941, trains were needed for water material and the postal service started using trucks for interstate mail movement. With war’s end, the increasing volume of mail made truck movement permanent. Mail carrying trains was reduced to only 900. Letter volume kept on the increase and the zip code was introduced. The Salisbury office was moved to the present location on 4th street in 1964.
From an outpost first served by a common carrier to bring mail from Old Allen to a 4th class post office with annual receipts of $14. Salisbury has grown. The Salisbury post office from September 2023 until October 2024 has walk in sales of $222,935~ This amount is only over the counter sales as walk in revenue in the Salisbury location. Both the Keytesville and Clifton Hill Post offices are now under Salisbury’s postmaster but maintain separate sales records.
The Salisbury location delivers to 1409 postal address and in 2024 has processed 437,643 pieces of mail and 133,528 packages. The post office receives one mail truck from the MidMo processing center in Columbia daily and 1 Amazon truck which drops parcels for delivery. Each afternoon and express mail truck comes through and one collection truck picks up afternoon mail.
Salisbury’s current postmaster is Chad Defibaugh and facility supervisor is Amber Peterson. Salisbury employes 12 employees, with 6 of those as full time staff.
Facility supervisor Amber Peterson wanted to share a fun postal fact with everyone today. There is mail delivery via mules to this day. It is at the Grand Canyon where mail delivery is the only way the Havasupai Indians can get their basic needs, such as food, bathing essentials and other supplies. There is a café that will post a sign for tourists and residents saying no fries until mail when they run out.
Clue
Elmer Fudd could have performed here in his singing days had it not burned down to ashes. Today the corner lot of 2nd and Grand holds stories of sophistication and grandeur as memories only.