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 