Temporary Post Office Boxes

Cleanup is underway after the collapse of the Jamesport Post Office building last Wednesday.
The building suddenly collapsed around 9:15 a.m., on August 19th. Officer-in-Charge Robert Shields heard popping and cracking sounds and went out of the building and was talking to, his soon to be neighbor, Menno Graber, when the building went down. The two men ran across the street to get out of the way from falling debris.
Robert Shields, officer-in-charge, shared the moments before the collapse. He said he arrived at the post office that morning with coffee in hand, and a walk through the building as usual, but he could hear a popping sound and another sound that sounded like sand running down a wall. He then went outside and noticed a narrow crack between the walls of the post office and Menno Graber’s building. Sensing something might be wrong with the building, he called his boss, who is the Trenton Post Master Rob Cracraft. He also called the building owner, Terry Spillman. Just as he was talking to Mr. Spillman on the phone, the building collasped. He and Mr. Graber, who was also on the street at the time, ran across the street to get away from the falling debris.
Mandy Prescott, owner of the Glamour Shop, located to the east of the post office, was not in the shop at the time. She arrived later but wasn’t allowed in the shop. According to Mandy it has been determined there is structural damage to the building and she will be closed temporarily. The business located to the south of the post office was a store recently purchased by the Grabers, which wasn’t open for business yet. They had just purchased the building from Danny and Monica Hicks the week before and wereplanning to do some remodeling and painting. That building was also destroyed. The next business is Sue’s Soft Stuff, a yarn, knitting and crocheted items store. It has suffered structural damage.
Jamesport Tavern is the last business located south of the post office. It was closed until Sunday.
Soon after the collapse, Postal officials and law enforcement, along with the Daviess County Emergency Management Team, arrived on scene, where they secured the area in an effort to keep everyone safe. Post Office Police were on the scene all night Wednesday night along with the Daviess County Sheriff’s department. The sheriff’s office remained at the intersection of 190 and F highway 24 hours straight through Sunday.
Spectators gathered along the sidewalks near the demolition to watch as the last walls were taken down.
Since the Post office was located at the intersection of Highways 190 and F, traffic had to be rerouted until Saturday night when they were able to remove debris from the roadway.
Inspectors and officials from the postal service inspected the building to determine if the demolished building would be safe enough to retrieve mail and important items from the demolished building.
As soon as it was possible, they removed the personal items of Mr. Shields, office equipment, mail and the safe.
Shortly after noon on Friday, Red Rock of Hamilton, began the demolition of the remaining partial walls that were left standing. The crews worked into the night on Friday and Saturday morning. Debris is piled at the location until tests for asbestos can be completed. It is hoped the corner can be clean of all debris by early next week.
Postal boxes were erected south of the tavern and a tent has been set up for Mr. Shields to conduct postal business and box holders can get their mail. Some type of temporary accommodations will be set in the next few days so that business can ben conducted. A permanent location for the post office hasn’t been determined.
Terry Spillman is the owner of the building which housed the post office. Due to inspections and a lot of paper work, it isn’t known what will happen to the corner.
The building is approximately 150 years old. Prior to the post office being located in that building it was a restaurant.
Some of the previous businesses that had been located along the street have been Pastime Antiques, Kenny Huston’s Barber Shop, several beauty shops, and the central telephone office. The Drummond Hotel also stood where the parking lot is south of the Jamesport Tavern.
The postal emblem and the “Jamesport Missouri 64648” sign was carefully taken down by the demolition crew and placed in a safe place.

According to the Jamesport Centennial Book, on April 30, 1857 the first post office was established with James Gillilan as postmaster. Eleven persons served as postmaster from then until the City was incorporated in 1872.
Rural delivery service was established in 1896, by 1914 Jamesport had six rural routes serving 154 miles.
The Post Office has been in nine different locations since it was first established and never more than one block from the present site.
On July 1, 1971 the Post office Department was transferred from a Government Agency to a Cooperation known as U. S. Postal Service which presently (1972) employees eight persons at Jamesport.
Jim Tedlock served as postmaster for 32 years, retiring in 1982.