Skip to main content

Kalamazoo Post Office records

 Collection
Identifier: RH-A-4231

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of documents and ledgers from the Kalamazoo Post Office in Kalamazoo Michigan dating from 1887 to 1932.

The ledger lists various publications both daily and weekly.

Dates

  • Creation: 1887-1932

Creator

Biographical / Historical

Postal service in Kalamazoo began in 1832. In 1838 daily mail service began, not yet home delivery. The Post Office was located in Fireman’s hall on South Burdick Street.

The new Post Office building opened on February 14, 1892. Due to a rapidly growing postal service, the Post Office doubled in size in 1904 and grew again in 1924. In 1939, a new Post Office building was constructed on West Michigan Avenue and the original building was torn down in 1940.

Extent

.5 Cubic Feet

82 items (82 ledgers)

Language of Materials

English

Custodial History

The materials were originally located in the post office building until 1940 when they were moved to the Federal Building in Grand Rapids. They were then moved to the Federal Records Center in Chicago. In 1973, the material was donated to the Archives.

Related Materials

Photographs of the Kalamazoo Post Office on Michigan Avenue can be found in WMU Regional History Collection.

Physical Description

The collection consists of 0.5 cubic feet of material and 82 ledgers from the Kalamazoo Post Office dating from 1887 to 1932. The ledgers are overall in good condition. The ledgers which contains letters ranges from fair to poor condition. The letters are in good condition and are legible. The spines and covers of those ledgers are damaged.

The ledger listed in the inventory below very poor condition: The front cover is torn from the spine and there are stains and faded writing on the cover. The ledger is written in both pen, pencil, and is legible. The size of the ledger is 7.5”x4.75”x0.25”. The documents are a mix of legal and letter size and are a typewritten.

Processing Information

The material were originally part of collection A-903. Ledgers from the post office had been reviewed, inventories, barcoded and shrink wrapped. The other material was reviewed and assessed for historical value and the material that remained was deemed to have historical value.

Title
Kalamazoo Post Office Records Finding Aid
Status
Completed
Author
Stephanie Chapman
Date
2021-06-02
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository

Contact:
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490