Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on May 11, 1961.
Postal Force Is Moving At Chesterton
By ADELYNE RUOFF
CHESTERTON ー Today was moving day for the Chesterton postal force. From now on the government employes will occupy their new 82x50 feet building on Third and Broadway, Postmaster Irvin Dolk announced.
The building, which contains twice the floor space of the old postoffice, was built by the Morgan Construction company. It has an exterior of brick and Luxite Coolite plate glass. Free offstreet parking is also provided on the west side of the building.
There are 274 boxes available to patrons at the new building, compared to the 200 which were provided formerly. A loading dock is located in the rear of the building for incoming and outgoing mail. The working area is newly equipped.
CHESTERTON POSTOFFICE TO OPEN
Chesterton’s new postoffice at Broadway and Fourth, is scheduled to be turned over to town’s postal authorities this weekend, according to contractor on job Wednesday. Most of exterior parking lot and landscaping has been completed. Carpenters were working on necessary interior fixtures for new postal unit, for which ground was broken by Rep. Charles A. Halleck last November.
(V-M Staff Photo)
12,500 People Served
The Chesterton postoffice serves 12,500 people, Dolk noted. This number includes all of Westchester, part of Portage, Liberty, Jackson and Pine township. The local postoffice is expected to lose about 300 families now serviced by Chesterton, when the new Portage postoffice is completed, Dolk noted.
There are four city routes and a new route will be added this summer. Three rural route carriers cover more than 135 miles per day. In the new building there is window service from Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon.
Gross receipts have increased 75 percent within the last five years, Dolk stated. The local office was advanced to first class rating in 1955.
The first postoffice was established in Chesterton in 1835 and was called Coffee Creek. This postoffice was situated one mile east of the present town of Chesterton. In December of 1849 the name was changed from Coffee Creek to Calumet.
The Village of Calumet, which took its name from the postoffice, was laid out in 1852 along the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern railroad, which later joined railroad, which later joined with the New York Central railroad.
In 1869, the Village of Calumet was incorporated into a town, and the name was changed to Chesterton. The 187- the Postoffice department designated the name of the local postoffice as Chesterton.
Serves 7 Years
Postmaster Dolk has served the Chesterton area for seven and one half years. He is a life-long resident of the community.
His assistant is Owen Gavagan. Additional employes are Robert Thoesen, Eugene Groff, Margaret Johnston, Allen Fuller, Lawrence DeKoker, Harry Ray, Albert Bushore, Donald Sabinski, Charles O’Brian, and Ronald Schroeder.
Rural carriers are Richard Wagner, Robert Carlson and John Hoover. Rural assistants are Florence Nelson and Ralph Stinchcomb. Custodian is August Janoski.
Postmaster Dolk said the expanded facilities will enable the local office to expedite service. however , he noted, it will still be up to the patron to make certain the mailing addresses are complete and legible.