Ruidoso Post office
Mannie Badillo and Joe Dryen
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The first Postmaster of Ruidoso was Frank Lesnet who took office in May 1882. He was a grandfather of Mrs. Aileen Lindamood, who is now postmaster at nearby Alto. At the time the office was established it was in a building across from the old Dowlion Mill. Lesnet used to sell pigs, grain and various other products to increase his earning. When it was necessary for him to be away from home Mrs. Lesnet and her two children would ask a neighbor to stay with them to help protect them for wild animals and Indians. After several years the Lesnets moved the post office to the still standing Old Dowlin Mill where they lived upstairs and conducted the post office down stars.
The office remained in the mill until around the turn of the century when a Mr. Prude was Postmaster. He moved it into a building on Highway 70 somewhere across the street from where Clayton Bennett is now. During this time the mail was brought from Fort Stanton by either stagecoach or pony express.
Issac N. Wingfield, who became postmaster in 1921, was the son of Charles Wingfield, the third postmaster. During his term of office the post office was moved to upper Ruidoso across from he Wingfield home, the location of the recent Munsey Real Estate. Winfield rode horseback to and from Ft. Stanton to get the mail. He used two horses and the trip took all day so mail delivery was two or three times a week depending on the weather.
By 1937 when Jack Hull become postmaster the mail came from Tularosa, via Hollywood, to Ruidoso. At that time the Fourth Class office served about three hundred patrons, had twelve post office boxes and stamp sales ran about $25.00 per week. Gradually the community became a summer resort. Many homes were built and people started moving in. On July 15, 1938 it became a Third Class office and a clerk was added to the office. It was moved to just east of the Adobe on July 1, 1947 and became a Second Class Office at that time. When Hull retired n 1957 the office had grown to serve 2500 patrons in the winter and ten times as many during the summer.
A new large modern post office with 3,000 square feet of interior floor space was built in 1961. The building is located conveniently on Main Street Just east of Montie's Riding Academy. New bank type counters and screen line and more boxes were installed. With modern fluorescent lighting, enlarged floor space and large maneuvering area this plant should take care of Ruidoso needs for a long time. The present building was occupied in February of 1961 and dedicated May 7, 1961.
Mail now comes in and out via Star Routes to and from Roswell, El Paso, Alamogordo and Tularosa. Leon F. (Joe) Dryden was appointed December 31, 1957 and retired nine years later on December 1, 1969. Manuel G. Badillo who started as a sub-Clerk in 1950, was promoted to regular clerk February 1952, and was appointed postmaster April 2, 1971. He retired on June 20, 1975. Elwood E. Gardner went from a sub-Clerk in 1969 to postmaster August 29, 1975. Ruidoso is now a first class office, the only one ion Lincoln County.
Post Office Personnel has been.
| Frank Lesnet May 1882 | John M. McDaniel Aug. 29, 1913 |
| Milton J. Dowling Aug. 1884 | Geo. Friendenbloom May 25, 1915 |
| Chas. W. Wingfield Jan. 23, 1891 | Mary C. Creley Feb. 23, 1917 |
| Commodor P. Brown Apr. 20, 1893 | Isaac N. Wingfield Aug. 12. 1921 |
| John F. Holder July 29, 1893 | Jack Hull Jan. 29, 1937 |
| Mr. Prude Nov. 1904 | --retired in 1957 |
| Alice B. Miller Nov. 8, 1904 | L. F. (Joe) Dryden Dec. 31, 1957 |
| Florence J. Johnson June 9, 1911 | Manuel G. Badillo Apr. 2, 1971 |
| Lula Purdy Jan. 11, 1912 | Elwood E. Gradline Aug. 29, 1975 |
|
Clerks have been: |
| Matte E. Steele 1938-1952 |
| Velma R. Courevelle 1947-1962 |
| Manuel G. Badillo 1949-Present |
| Lucille B. Machen 1956-1960 |
| Margaret Vaughn 1961 |
| Patsy R. Wall 1962 |
| Leon Farrar 1961 |
©2005