1931 Post Office  in Milford

From : Milford Times - Researched and  Edited by Carol Watkins

October 16

The Post Office will be moved to the Masonic Building…It is on the cards that the Milford Post Office will sometime ere long be moved from its present location at the corner of Main and Liberty streets two blocks north to the Masonic Building at the corner of Main and Commerce Streets (the current “For Feet’s Sake” store).  News was received last Thursday that the bid of the Milford Masonic Association had been accepted by the department. The post office will have the use of the first floor and basement. It is to be equipped with steam heating plant and the lessor have (sic) to provide all boxes, furniture, fixtures, safe, etc. required. The necessary alterations were started Wednesday morning by M.J. Cavanaugh of Lansing, a contractor who makes a specialty of post office outfitting. The work is to be completed within thirty days and is subject to the approval of one of the post office inspectors.

It will be some thing of an innovation for Milford to have the post office in that part of the business section. We have  heard that at one time way back iin the village history, te post office was located on the south side of the river. But, for sixty years, if not more, (1870-1930) it has not been far from its present location. When John Crawford, Sr. was postmaster, the office was in his general store in a buiding between the Cook and Burgdorf buildings. Next it went into the building now occupied by the Brown Shop and from there to the present building erected for the purpose in 1906. This has been a central and satisfactory location,  but the post office force say that with its one story and southern exposure on summer afternoons it was anything but comfortable.

The present building was sold about two years ago to the Red Indian Oil Building and it is understood that at some time in the future it will either be torn down or moved to the north to make room for a filling station on the corner.

Milford Masonic Lodge acquired the three story building at the corner of Main and Commerce Streets several years ago but only occupy a small portion of it on the second floor for Lodge purpose. The first floor has been vacant for some time, so naturally the owners are not sorry to secure so good a tenant as Uncle Sam for a period of at least ten years.

NOTE: The Milford Historical Society has brass post boxes and tellers windows from the post office and is creating a display at the museum which should be finished by 2015, along with more history of the postal service in Milford over the years.