Article contributed by Abbott Fay
Postal routes into Middle Park were first offered for contract to the lowest bidders in 1875. A once a week route over Rollins Pass was bid at $693 per year but winter was so severe that the service stopped. The route from Georgetown to Hot Sulphur Springs over Berthoud Pass from July through October was more enduring.
Later, postmaster appointments were recommended by congressmen, thereby making the the system more variable as political party power shifted at election time. The great advantage to having a post office was the opportunity to include a retail goods for sale, often in the living room of the postmaster's home.
Post offices were located within 10 miles of the addresses they served. In those days, a 10 mile round trip would often take a full day of travel by horse or wagon. Many post offices were simply ranch homes, and there were frequent changes in location due to disabilities or political party changes.
Post offices were closed when there were too few recipients to justify the cost, often caused by consolidation of ranches or mine closures. As transportation became mechanized, there was no longer the need for a 10 mile radius maximum.
Hot
Fraser July 20, 1876 William Z. Cozens
Troublesome
(When Henry King died in 1879, his wife Albina replaced him. The Troublesome office was discontinued on April 19, 1935)
(Discontinued in September 1878)
Hermitage
(Intermittent service. Discontinued Jan. 10, 1884)
Twelve Mile June 1879 Daniel N. Ostrander
(Discontinued Aug. 5, 1880)
(Discontinued Nov. 26, 1883)
Gaskill
(Discontinued Nov. 11, 1886)
Colorow
(Discontinued May 16, 1903)
Selak
(Discontinued Sept. 29, 1893)
(Discontinued July 9, 1885)
Coulter
(Discontinued Sept. 20, 1905)
Kremmling
Kinsey
Crescent
(Discontinued April 16, 1894)
Clarkson
(Discontinued Dec. 8, 1898)
Dexter
(Discontinued May 20, 1911)
Martin
Discontinued Nov. 3, 1934)
Scholl
(Discontinued Jan. 21, 1930)
Lohman
(Name changed to Stillwater on Oct. 4, 1911. Discontinued Oct. 29, 1930)
Leal
(Discontinued April 30, 1930)
Arrow
(Discontinued March 15, 1915)
Tabernash Sept. 30. 1905 Mary Knight
Radium
(Discontinued Dec. 6, 1963)
Parshall
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