The Lexington Kentucky Post Office

Source: History of Lexington Kentucky: its early annals and recent progress, George W. Ranck, Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co., 1872, pp. 188-190.

The Lexington post-office was established about the year 1794, the inefficiency of the old confederation and the incomplete organization of the new government rendering it impossible until that late period. Before that time, all letters and papers received by the citizens were obtained through the kindness of friends and immigrants, or came by private enterprise. A lady in Lexington, at that early day, whose husband had gone to Crab Orchard, received a letter from him which he had intrusted to a party of settlers who intended to go through Lexington on their way west. In passing through the Wilderness," the Indians attacked the party, killing the man who had the letter, and his companions carried it to the anxious wife stained with his blood.*

In 1787, Bradford's "post-rider" brought letters to the citizens, and in 1790 to still further accommodate them, he opened a letter-box in his office where all letters and papers brought to town could be deposited, and he published a list of them in the Gazette once a month.** The first postmaster, Innis B. Brent, who was also jailer, had his office in the log building which stood on Main street, between Graves' stable and the corner of Broadway. It was next located in "Postlethwaite's tavern" (Phoenix). In 1808, it was in a building with immense hewed log steps, which occupied the site of the new Odd Fellows Hall, on Main. Mr. Jordan was then postmaster, and our venerable fellow-citizen, Mr. Ben Kiser, was his deputy.

In the year 1812 and for some time after, the post-office was located in a little red frame-house which stood on the site of Hoagland's stable, on Main, between Limestone and Rose. Persons are still living who remember when the news came to Lexington that the war with England was over. The post-rider, with the mail bag strapped behind him, and furiously blowing his horn, dashed up to the post-office door with the word "Peace" in big letters upon the front of his hat.

At a later period, the post-office was near the old Kentucky Gazette office, near Clark & Bros. Grocery, on Main. In 1861, it was removed from the building now known as Rule's cigar store, on the corner of Main, to its present location, on the corner of Mill and Short streets.

Joseph Ficklin, who was appointed postmaster in 1822, is believed to have held the office longer, and through more presidential administrations than any other postmaster in this country. The names of the postmasters of Lexington, in order of their succession, are Innis B. Brent, Peter G. Voorhies, John W. Hunt, John Jordan, Jr., John Fowler, Joseph Ficklin, Thomas Redd, Jesse Woodruff, L.B. Todd, S.W. Price.

*Cist, 129
**Old Gazette

Transcribed by pb, February 2000