One hundred and six years ago, December 25, 1910, this postcard was mailed off from Ashford, Washington, to a friend in Orting.
What struck me was that there was someone at the Ashford postoffice on Christmas day. I did a little research and I believe that person was Mrs. Cora J. Ashford (Mrs. Walter A. Ashford).
The Ashford post office was established November 16, 1894, and Cora ran it for almost 40 years, until Louis Von Salzen took over December 13, 1933.
Here is what Guy Ramsey writes about the post office in Postmarked Washington: Pierce County.
“A combination store-hotel was built on the north side of State Highway 5, which passes through the village, and the post office was located there until transferred to Louis Von Salzen’s store on the opposite (southwest) corner of the intersecting street.
The first mail to Ashford’s place came over a trail through the forest by horseback from Meta. After the Elbe post office was opened, June 4, 1892, it was brought from that point either by horseback or stage.
The Tacoma and Eastern Railroad finished its line to Ashford in 1904 and thereafter Ashford’s mail was supplied by trains. Mr. Ashford would go to the depot with the pushcart to obtain it.”
Image courtesy of Diane Mettler.
Click on images to enlarge.
Eatonville To Rainier 
4 responses to “Ashford Postcard, December 25, 1910”
I found the gravestones of Walter A. ASHFORD, born in England and Cora Ashford, born in Michigan and mother of at least 4 children.
Do you mind if I repost this photo of the Ashford family on their virtual memorial pages on http://Www.findagrave.com? Then it helps other family historians recognize if these are “their” Ashford relatives or town pioneers.
Thanks again for running this fun & informative history website!
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I’m sure that would be just fine. 🙂 Did you find the gravestones in Ashford?
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I strongly suspect that the “store/hotel/post office” run by Mrs. ASHFORD is the still standing Suver’s General Store building in “downtown” Ashford, near intersection of Canyon Road and State Hwy 706. (Was the highway through Ashford ever named Hwy 5 or is that a typo?)
The modern Ashford post office is next door to the General Store which has been in use as such at least 100 years. We can ask the Tannehill family who have lived and worked at the store for decades for more info.
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I wondered if it might be Suver’s store. (Know the family pretty well.) That is so cool. Might have to take some shots. — I think Hwy 5 might have been a typo, but it’s what is printed in the book I took the quote from. – If you have any info from the Tannehill family, that would be great. Would love a guest blogger. 🙂
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