Aspinock Memories
The history of the Putnam Post Office
By Terri Pearsall
Aspinock Museum Curator
The United State Mail Service is over 249 years old and has maintained a post office in what is now Putnam for practically 191 years, since Feb. 3, 1834.  At that time Putnam was not established as a town and the area was known as West Thompson. The first post office was nothing more than a small wooden building and then was moved to Union Block in another little cubby hole of a building.  
Faxon Nichols was the first postmaster of the West Thompson post office and continued in that appointment until Aug. 22, 1842.  John O. Fox was the next postmaster until June 8, 1861.  The name of the post office was changed three times.  Less than two years after Mr. Fox took office, it was changed to Wilkinson post office and then again on Dec. 18, 1849, it was changed to Quinebaug.
The Town of Putnam was incorporated from parts of the surrounding towns in 1855 and on June 13 of that year, the post office name was changed to Putnam, and it has remained as such to the present time.  Mr. Fox was succeeded by Hiram N. Brown, then Mr. Fox was re-appointed to serve for two more years.  Perry Wilson was the next postmaster who was succeeded by Edward Mullan, next was Patrick O’Leary, followed by Frank Letters, then Alexander Gilman was appointed and he was succeeded by Archibald Macdonald.  There have been more than 19 postmasters since 1922.
Construction of the Post Office that we all know on Main Street began in July of 1932 and opened its doors in July of 1933.  
According to The Putnam Patriot on Thursday, July 13, the building had been completed for some time, but a delay in installing a safe held up the opening.  The building was considered a masterpiece of workmanship and architecture at that time.  It was considered one of the finest public buildings in this section of the state. The main entrance to the building opened from Main Street into a lobby finished in green marble and English walnut.  A large distribution room occupied the entire first floor except for the lobby where various service windows and mailboxes are located.   Public bathrooms were on the second floor along with a large conference room, clerk’s room and offices for the postmaster, inspector and other government employees.
The building was, and still is, considered one of the finest structures in this section of the state.
Credits to The Providence Sunday Journal 8-20-1995, The Putnam Patriot 7-13, 1933, The CT. Postal History Society Journal 5-1997 And Aspinock Historical Society Archives.
Aspinock Memories graces the pages of the Putnam Town Crier to keep Putnam’s history alive.

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