Today’s Logan County Spotlight is on the Orchard Island Post Office.
If you love local history, the Orchard Island Post Office is a historical landmark you’ll want to visit and see. The post office has been completely refurbished and has a deep history.
The Orchard Island Post Office was in operation from July 29, 1912, through November 15, 1926. In its final year, the post office was discontinued by the United States Postal Service.
The Indian Lake Area Historical Society (ILAHS) believes that the post office played a significant role in the communications of the island. Back then, there was no rural mail delivery and mail had to be picked up at the post office. In turn, it became a meeting place for residents of the island and created communication among the residents and visitors.
After being closed for 77 years, it had fallen into poor condition, and a court order was given for it to be removed or dismantled. Isabelle Wicker Pusey and her sister Sylvia Wicker Reid decided to give the building to the ILAHS. Under that leadership, the Orchard Island Post Office was moved to a new, accessible location and was completely repaired. The rededication of the post office building took place on July 29, 2004, at its new location on Post Office Island (between Orchard Island and Wolf Island). It originally was located on the Wicker property on Orchard Island.
The ILAHS painted the outside of the building in 2015, renovated the interior, and furnished it with historical period items in 2016, and a new cedar roof was added on in 2017. The original, historical landmark was rededicated at an Open House by the ILAHS in July 2016 after the interior was furnished and renovations were finished.
The ILAHS and ODNR worked together to clean the island so visitors could enjoy the historic post office.
President of the Indian Lake Area Historical Society, John Coleman, tells about the Orchard Island Post Office and how to view the building by appointment:
The building is 15 feet long by 15 feet wide.
The Indian Lake Elementary 3rd graders come to visit the post office when they study Ohio History in May each year. They also tour places in Bellefontaine and the Harbor Bridge at Indian Lake.
You can learn more about the Indian Lake Area Historical Society and place an appointment to view the post office here.
