By: The Logan County History Center
Our Salute to Indian Lake exhibit features a model of the Orchard Island Post Office. It was engineered, scaled, and constructed meticulously by Mr. Steve Hero.
Mr. Hero measured the original structure in great detail. Then he proceeded to scale the entire building and engineered the structure to exactly replicate the original facility. After construction, he graciously donated it to the Indian Lake Museum for everyone to enjoy his masterpiece.
The Orchard Island Post Office was in operation to serve the south side of Indian Lake from July 29, 1912, to November 15, 1926. It was originally located on the water’s edge at the Wicker Resort. The only Postmistress at the Orchard Island Post Office was Ruby Tarr. Mrs. Tarr’s husband, Alexander, was the owner of the Orchard Island Resort until he sold it in 1927 to Orchard Islands Inc.
After the Orchard Island Post Office closed, the side windows were cut out and it was used as a pop stand and later as a bait store at the Wicker Resort. In 2004, the building was donated to the newly established Indian Lake Area Historical Society by Isabelle Wicker Pusey. The building was then moved from the former Wicker property to its present location on the recently named Post Office Island site between Wolf and Orchard Islands.
In 2016, teams of residents and volunteers from the Indian Lake Area Historical Society came together to restore the former Orchard Island Post Office that had fallen into disrepair. With donations from the Indian Lake Development Corporation and the ODNR, everyone came together to restore the building.
The 15’ x 15’ building has now been fully renovated and the inside has been reconstructed to look exactly as it did when it was in service, including period furnishings. On July 10, 2016, the Orchard Island Post Office was re-dedicated and opened to the public.
The Salute to Indian Lake exhibit, including the Orchard Island Post Office replica, can be seen through the end of 2024. We partnered with the Indian Lake Area Historical Society with many of the exhibits.
For more information about the Indian Lake Area Historical Society please visit their website at www.indianlakeohiohistoricalsociety.org or their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/Indian-Lake-Area-Historical-Society
Information courtesy of the Indian Lake Area Historical Society.
The History Center is located at 521 E. Columbus Ave., Bellefontaine, Ohio 43311, and is open for tours Wednesday – Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
