Early Mail Service: Forestdale (Pt 6)

Forestdale, in the southern part of Sandwich, was the last to establish a post office on February 3, 1886, and over the years it was located in various homes and shops in the area. 

The term "Forestdale" wasn’t used until later in the 19th century. In 1885 and earlier, the region was called Greenville. (Some may know that the restored one-room school house on Route 130 is often called the Greenville School.) The government officially changed the name to "Forest Dale" in 1886.[1]

100 Route 130, Forestdale was at one time a post office.

100 Route 130, Forestdale in more recent days.

Before there was a Foresdale post office, John M. Fish--an old Sandwich name--kindly went into town every day and brought the mail back to Forestdale. Where exactly he distributed the mail, I do not know. Perhaps he even went door to door!

The first postmaster in the area was William O. Osborne .[2] The Forestdale post office only originated after a local petition was circulated. [3] [4] It was the local people who also asked to have Mr. Osborne as their postmaster. [5] Mr. Osborne ran a store in the area. [6]

The DeLong house, post office and shop on Route 130 in Forestdale unfortunately burned down and no longer exists.

The early Forestdale postmasters were as follows--you will note how many women served as postmistress over the years.

William O. Osborne served until 1911.

Hezekiah C. Pulsifer took over as acting postmaster on August 15, 1911 and then was made postmaster on October 16,1911. His service ended in 1929.

On March 16, 1929, Grace DeLong, who had a shop in her home as well as the post office, took over as acting postmistress and then was made the official mistress four days later on March 20. She served 23 years.

Gladys Govone took over as acting postmistress on January 21, 1952 and was made official postmistress almost a year later on December 18, 1952. She, too, served a long term.

Elsie M. Crocker took over as “officer in charge” on December 15, 1971. Elsie was made postmistress on January 20, 1973 and only served a few years.

Connie Crocker Carr became officer in charge on July 1, 1977. You can listen to an interview with Connie on this website here. Connie initially served only a few months and was replaced by Dorothy Buck on October 25, 1977.

The tables turned again on February 27, 1978 when Nancy Zibutis was named officer in charge.

For reasons unknown, Connie Carr returned as postmistress on June 17, 1978 and served until November 21, 1992.

Lori A . McCormack took over as officer in charge on November 21, 1992.

Robert A. Maxim was appointed postmaster on February 20, 1993.[7]

We are not sure exactly where on Route 130 this is. COURTESY SANDWICH TOWN ARCHIVES

1 The Barnstable Patriot, 2 February, 1886.

2 The Sandwich Album. John Nye Cullity.

3 The Barnstable Patriot, 13 March, 1883.

4 The Sandwich Observer, 2 February, 1886.

5 The Sandwich Observer, 4 June 1885.

6 Yarmouth Register, 4 November 1911.

7 United States Postal Service online, Postmasters by City, 2020.

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Kaethe Maguire is a member of the Friends of the Sandwich Town Archives, a dedicated, all-volunteer, 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to supporting and promoting the archives’ collections and the rich, diverse history of the town of Sandwich.