Historic Orchard Island Post Office dedicated
ABOVE: Patricia MacDonald of Russells Point, a former Lewistown postal worker, signs the guest book at the restored Orchard Island Post Office that was dedicated during a Sunday afternoon ceremony. HOME PAGE SLIDE SHOW PHOTO: Gary Levitt, left, curator of the Museum of Postal History at Delphos, discusses the effort to restore the historic Orchard Island Post Office during a Sunday afternoon dedication ceremony. To his right are John Coleman and Charlie Strete, who are among the Indian Lake Area Historical Society members who worked recently to restore the post office, which was in operation from 1912 to 1926. (EXAMINER PHOTOS | REUBEN MEES)
A new historic display on a formerly unnamed island at Indian Lake reflects back on a day when the area was a playground for young and wealthy socialites who spent their summer months in leisure.
The Orchard Island Post Office, which was moved from its original location in 2004 to what was only known as “the dredge island” to locals, has been completely restored and was dedicated during a Sunday afternoon event.
The post office was originally built and opened on July 29, 1912, at the former Wicker Resort area of Orchard Island. It was operated by Postmistress Ruby Tarr during an era in which Orchard Island was an established location for the intellectual Chautauqua movement that once drew such speakers as William Jennings Bryant.
The post office primarily operated during the summer until it was closed Nov. 15, 1926, according to a historical placard outside the 15-by-15 foot building.
The building sat vacant for 75 years until the Orchard Island property was sold to James Dicke of New Bremen. The Chautauqua building at the site was dismantled and moved to New Bremen, but the post office, which was in bad shape at the time, would have been destroyed if not for the efforts of a local woman.
Isabelle Wicker Pusey began the effort in 2001 to organize the first Indian Lake Area Historical Society and kept the building at an adjacent property, fending off complaints about its poor condition until a deal could be worked out with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to locate the building on the small island created from dredge material nestled between Orchard Island and Wolf Island.
Complete story and more photos in Monday’s Examiner.
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