Taos February 4, 1852 | La Belle January 13, 1895 | Servilleta April 21, 1913 |
Ojo Caliente Mar 21, 1871 | Valdez May 21, 1895 | Tres Ritos October 30, 1915 |
Rio Colorado Aug 7, 1871 | Midnight June 21, 1895 | Rodarte July 21, 1916 |
Costilla October 21, 1872 | Red River Sept 25, 1895 | Pilar January 23, 1918 |
Penasco Sept 10, 1874 | Llano July 15, 1898 | El Valle March 23, 1918 |
Ranchos de Taos Feb 3, 1875 | Trampas August 2 1898 | Amalia August 1, 1919 |
Cerro February 11, 1880 | Cieneguilla June 6, 1903 | Stong October 24, 1919 |
Tres Piedras May 27, 1880 | Talpa January 4, 1904 | Gusdorf August 19, 1921 |
Arroyo Seco April 27, 1881 | Chamisal April 30, 1904 | Rio Lucio October 22, 1921 |
Barranca June 20, 1881 | Lobo April 29, 1905 | Skarda March 12, 1922 |
McGregor May 1, 1882 | Hodges February 11, 1909 | Volcano February 15, 1923 |
Questa March 12, 1883 | Sunshine Valley Sep 29 1909 | Vadito February 21, 1927 |
Arroyo Hondo Dec. 8, 1885 | Rio Pueblo Aug 26, 1910 | San Cristobal Mar 9, 1932 |
Twining June 6, 1893 | Carson June 27, 1912 | El Prado June 8, 1936 |
Mail Transportation In Taos County
The Taos Pueblo was a major trade
center many years before the Spanish came into the
area. Trade routes were established from the pueblos
to the south and the Plains Indians to the north and
east. Important messages were carried by runners
between the pueblos.
Supply routes, using pack animals and crude carts
called "carretas," were established from Santa Fe
into the Taos County area when it was first settled
in the early 1600s. These routes carried official as
well as personal correspondence to the settlements.
Although the Spanish never established an official
post office in the county, it was the responsibility
of the Alcalde to collect and account for postage
and arrange for mail carriers. Taos was one of the
counties created in 1844 by the Republic of Mexico.
Fernandez de Taos was the first post office
established in the county on February 4, 1852. The
mail was received from Star Route #14459 out of the
Santa Fe Post Office.
In 1865, another mail route was established between
Fernandez de Taos and Fort Union. This route
connected Taos with the Santa Fe Trail and
eliminated the delay of supplies and mail going
through Santa Fe.
A Star Route was established into Taos County from
Santa Fe in 1871 to provide mail to the new Ojo
Caliente Post Office. A route was also established
out of Taos to deliver mail to the Costilla and Rio
Colorado Post Offices to the north.
When the railroad was completed to Fort Garland,
Colorado, around 1880 a route was established to
carry mail to Costilla from the north and the Taos
route was abolished. The Denver and Rio Grande
Railroad was completed into Espanola in December of
1880. The Railway Post Office (RPO) would serve the
post office at Tres Piedras and later the offices at
Barranca, Servilleta, Stong, Skarda and Volcano for
over fifty years.
With the completion of the railroad, came the
discontinuance of the route between Santa Fe and
Taos. The mail was then routed to the Embudo Post
Office and carried to Taos on a stagecoach route.
The terminus of the route at the railroad was
changed to Barranca around 1905.
In December of 1885 another route was established
out of Embudo to provide mail service to Penasco
when it was reestablished. In 1898, the route picked
up the new post offices at Llano and Trampas in the
southern part of the county.
By 1904 the mail for southern Taos County was routed
to Embudo on the D&RG RR, delivered to Penasco on a
Star Route and then dispatched on routes out of
Penasco to the other post offices.
By 1917 a railroad spur was completed from Fort
Garland to Jaroso, Colorado, just six miles from
Costilla. A Star Route was established from Jaroso
to Questa and additional routes from Questa to
Arroyo Seco and Red River.
With the exception of minor changes in some of the
routes caused by post offices opening or closing,
the mail transportation remained the same until the
RPO service was discontinued in the early 1940s. A
route was established between Antonito, Colorado,
and Abiquiu to provide mail to the offices in west
Taos County. The mail for Taos and Ranchos de Taos
was brought by truck from Santa Fe and the mail for
the southern part of the county was routed through
Espanola.
The railroad service to Jaroso had been discontinued
by 1950 and the mail for the northern part of Taos
County was routed through Santa Fe to Taos. The Star
Routes serving all of the offices remained the same.
The routes have changed only slightly over the
years. Santa Fe became the Sectional Center Facility
(SCF) when ZIP Codes were introduced in 1963 and
began processing all of the mail for the 875 ZIP
Code post offices.
Starting in 1975 with the establishment of the
Albuquerque Post Office as the Management Sectional
Center (MSC), the mail processing for the 875
offices was moved to Albuquerque and some of the
routes were changed to originate in Albuquerque.
---James W. White
Postmasters
PINA - AMALIA
Florentino Gallegos February 15, 1900 | Ishmael Gallegos January 28, 1924 |
Donaciano Quintana January 20, 1902 | Eliasa S. Gallegos December 31, 1926 |
Discontinued December 15, 1902 |
Domiana S. Jaramillo March 1, 1930 |
Florentino Gallegos February 12, 1903 |
Discontinued - December 31, 1932 |
Frank A. Y. Santistevan February 18, 1910 | Alice Quintana Alire September 29, 1939 |
William A. Hall April 10, 1912 | Edna M. Duran June 23, 1972 |
Manuel A. Miera November 29, 1912 | Henrietta Arellano September 28, 1976 |
Elaisa S. Gallegos May 2, 1917 | Veronica S. Lovato December 31, 1986 |
Jose Agapito Gonzales December 13, 1918 | Martha Martinez (OIC) March 22, 1993 |
Name Changed to Amalia - August 1, 1919 |
Martha L. Lucero (OIC) July 20, 1993 |
Elaisa S. Gallegos April 26, 1920 | Mary R. Martinez April 30, 1994 |
ARROYO HONDO
Julian A. Martinez December 8, 1885 | Stella Vigil April 30, 1955 |
Onesimo G. Martinez January 8, 1909 | Robert E. Marquez (act) March 30, 1962 |
Thomas J. Martinez April 13, 1914 | Genara C. Sanchez April 12, 1963 |
Onesimo G. Martinez November 10, 1925 | Marcia L. Martinez (OIC) October 2, 1992 |
Bernabe Garcia March 16, 1937 | Bernice Cardenas (OIC) August 4, 1993 |
Ricardo Garcia January 25, 1940 | Cynthia S. Perry January 8, 1994 |
trES RITOS
George P. Allen October 30, 1915 | Jose D. Fernandez May 3, 1926 |
Paul Sherman April 8, 1918 | Jose E. Borrego (act) March 16, 1927 |
Wayte C. Lytle March 18, 1920 | Discontinued - November 15, 1927 |
Henry T. Collins April 12, 1922 | Otto H. Griener September 3, 1937 |
William W. Bender November 6, 1924 |
AMIZETTE / TWINING
Amizette Margaret A. Helphenstine June 6, 1893
TWINING
William Fraser January 18, 1902
Grover O. Snow July 3, 1903
Burt M. Peck September 5, 1903
August Bernd April 25, 1904
VADITO
LA BELLE
LLANO
Acorcino Martinez July 15, 1898 | Martin Lujan November 29, 1925 |
Cornelio Martinez November 14, 1901 | Estefanita V.Trujillo (act) May 21, 1937 |
Martin Lujan February 21, 1908 | Gilberto E. Gonzales November 5, 1937 |
Francisco Medina October 14, 1910 | Mary T. Mascarenas (act) October 15, 1965 |
Discontinued - June 15, 1914 |
AGUA DE LOBO / LOBO
George Alvey February 18, 1888 | James R. Chambers May 17, 1892 |
Kate T. Lovett July 26, 1888 | Willis L. Vandiver April 18, 1898 |
Lucina Cutter January 18, 1890 | Ada C. Cutter June 25, 1903 |
ARROYO SECO
Adolph Gusdorf April 27, 1881 | Walfredo M. Pacheco (act) April 9, 1935 |
Abe Smith February 27, 1882 | Juanita G. Mares August 27, 1935 |
Luis Gallegos December 11, 1883 | Paublita G. Pacheco September 25, 1940 |
Amador Trujillo April 23, 1887 | Juanita P. Gonzales (act) November 27, 1943 |
Teresina G. de Gallegos September 10, 1887 | Celestino Sandoval January 29, 1946 |
Pedro N. Medina January 10, 1889 | Levinio F. Martinez October 31, 1947 |
Jose L. Gonzales February 12, 1894 | Jose Abel Garcia August 30, 1961 |
Discontinued - January 22, 1895 | Lina Y. Voigt (OIC) April 28, 1988 |
Jose M. Medina March 13, 1895 | Crucita F. Cisneros August 13, 1988 |
Esquipula Martinez July 12, 1901 | Cynthia S. Perry (OIC) April 3, 1992 |
Jose M. Medina February 5, 1907 | Ursula C. Ciddio (OIC) April 24, 1992 |
Juanita G. Mares May 12, 1914 | Virginia (Archuleta) Miller June 27, 1992 |
Rosendo Fernandez July 11, 1922 | M. Crestina Armstrong (OIC) March 5, 1998 |
Aurelia M. Fernandez February 4, 1927 | Mary A. Martinez December 7, 1998 |
BARRANCA
Roderick H. Weiny June 20, 1881 | Alfred Lewis December 11, 1883 |
Robert H. Nevitt August 2, 1881 | James E. DeRosear October 20, 1884 |
Samuel S. McBride August 4, 1882 | James C. Strawn April 22, 1887 |
Joseph S. Brooks March 20, 1883 | Howard Mitchell May 14, 1887 |
CARSON
William K. Shupe June 27, 1912 | Frona B. Graves July 9, 1953 |
Marie Mealor January 26, 1939 | Kathleen F. Martin (OIC) February 9, 1979 |
Vera F. Rogers May 7, 1941 | Harold E. Lillard, Jr. April 20, 1979 |
Mary L. Stover April 28, 1947 | Irene P. Kirk October 16, 1981 |
Dalford M. Stover June 18, 1951 | Gertrude Drake July 5, 1997 |
CERRO
John H. Young February 11, 1880 | Felix Grant August 22, 1912 |
Henry J. Young January 28, 1884 | Elois O. Cortez September 22, 1920 |
John H. Young May 21, 1889 | A. L. Archuleta (acting) December 31, 1962 |
Manuel T. Quintana September 11, 1889 | Cora V. Archuleta October 23, 1963 |
Pedro A. Gomez January 13, 1892 | Virginia G. Archuleta January 3, 1987 |
Henry J. Young March 18, 1893 | Cynthia Perry (OIC) October 3, 1992 |
Epimenio D. Leon November 10, 1897 | Veronica Lovato March 20, 1993 |
CHAMISAL
Santiago Abreu April 30, 1904 | Rose L. Lopez (act) July 9, 1952 |
Discontinued - February 28, 1905 |
Obed Leo Rodriquez October 23, 1953 |
Benito Lovato June 7, 1907 | Martha R. Lucero August 3, 1956 |
Abel Sandoval May 5, 1910 | Olivama Atencio June 2, 1959 |
Discontinued - February 15, 1913 |
Dolores T. Atencio (OIC) December 30, 1988 |
Matilde R. Lovato July 18, 1913 | Noami A. Velarde March 25, 1989 |
Dora T. Lopez October 14, 1944 |
COSTILLA
Ferdinand Meyer October 21, 1872 | Lucia Trujillo March 13, 1916 |
Juan A. Bernal April 11, 1893 | Alfonso Santistevan June 30, 1950 |
William F. Meyer July 16, 1897 | Mary L. Manzanares October 12, 1955 |
Pedro A. Bernal March 5, 1908 | Henrietta Arellano January 2, 1987 |
Lino Trujillo September 9, 1911 |
PENASCO
M. Aaron Gold September 10, 1874 | Isidora Cordova December 23, 1905 |
Jose B. Sanchez February 3, 1875 | Rosendo E. Sanchez March 21, 1908 |
Henry P. W. Hirsch November 16, 1877 | Enrique Mascarenas February 1, 1911 |
Juan P. Romero October 14, 1878 | Jose D. Medina January 4, 1926 |
Discontinued - May 27, 1879 | Raymond U. Fickel acting June 18, 1927 |
R. Sanchez May 1, 1882 | Jose D. Roybal November 12, 1927 |
Discontinued - February 19, 1883 | Ocelio Vasquez November 27, 1935 |
Gregorio Griego December 15, 1885 | David Mascarenas (act) June 26, 1943 |
Ramon Sanchez April 16, 1887 | Leandro Lopez September 16, 1943 |
Juan M. Romero March 24, 1890 | Anastacia V. Lopez July 28, 1944 |
Amador Martinez February 16, 1891 | Josue Lopez (OIC) July 2, 1976 |
Harriet M. Burnett September 3, 1891 | Manuelita Lopez (OIC) August 19, 1977 |
Porfirio Abren March 29, 1893 | Josue L. Lopez January 14, 1978 |
Ramon Sanchez November 20, 1897 | Shirley M. Anglada (OIC) April 1, 1998 |
William L. Paddock November 12, 1903 | Pat Herrera June 20, 1998 |
CIENEQUILLA - PILAR
CIENEQUILLA
Amado Hernandez June 6, 1903
Cayetano Martinez November 28, 1903
Discontinued April 14, 1904
PILAR
Donaciano Vigil January 23, 1918
EL PRADO
William Joe Utter June 8, 1936 | Martha C. Lujan (OIC) April 17, 1976 |
John B. Tixier November 1, 1937 | Larry Santistevan (OIC) October 13, 1977 |
Marcia A. Wheaton (act) December 30, 1965 | Vitalita A. Silva (OIC) December 6, 1977 |
Simon G. Gonzales April 17, 1971 | Martha C. Lujan March 25, 1978 |
EL VALLE
Eliseo Ortega March 23, 1918 |
Natividad C. Ortega April 19, 1921 |
Emilina Cruz September 10, 1930 |
GUSDORF
HODGES
Fred W. Drake February 11, 1909
FERNANDEZ DE TAOS - TAOS
Charles Beaubein February 4, 1852 | Jose B. Martinez June 16, 1927 |
Innocencia Martinez December 27, 1853 | Felix D. Valdes August 1, 1933 |
Solomon Beuthner May 10, 1854 | Luis A. Trujillo May 1, 1939 |
Samson Beuthner July 31, 1856 | Nicanor A. Montoya act. June 1, 1941 |
Julius Friedman February 9, 1863 | Carlos Trujillo, Jr. act. August 1, 1941 |
Joseph Beuthner November 7, 1863 | Agnes R. Avila March 15, 1943 |
Julius Friedman January 27, 1864 | Ruben Vigil June 30, 1972 |
Juan Santistevan December 11, 1865 | Luis Sandoval OIC May 21, 1976 |
Alois Leibert August 10, 1880 | John Flaherty March 12, 1977 |
Jacob U. Shade June 14, 1883 | Luis Mendoza OIC March 17, 2000 |
William L. McClure August 10, 1885 | Robert Olen April 8, 2000 |
Humphrey Marshall June 20, 1887 | L. Pascual Martinez December 23, 1913 |
Lorin W. Brown December 14, 1887 | Elma Martinez act. July 1, 1919 |
Miguel Tafoya July 17, 1889 | Eloy D. Trujillo act. August 1, 1919 |
Jose de Jesus Lucero January 22, 1892 | L. Pascual Martinez act. September 1, 1919 |
Ambrosio Valdez March 29, 1893 | Eduardo A. Trujillo January 1, 1920 |
Lorin N. Brown July 16, 1897 | Antonio Martinez July 1, 1922 |
Manuel M. Kahn Sepember 12, 1898 | Anita F. Martinez act. April 19, 1924 |
Alfonso Clouthier June 11, 1903 | Cristobal I. Quintana January 30, 1925 |
Jose J. Vigil February 5, 1907 |
McGREGOR
M. U. B. Warner May 1, 1882
MIDNIGHT
Thomas W. Galigher June 21, 1895
Herbert O. Ellis November 24, 1896
OJO CALIENTE
G. H. Holcomb March 21, 1871 | Medardo A. Herrera October 1, 1946 |
Salvador Lucero July 19, 1871 | Pedro T. Lucero February 8, 1948 |
Discontinued - July 3, 1873 | Adeline Lucero (acting) October 4, 1956 |
William H. Baker September 19, 1873 | Thomas W. Wilson May 13, 1959 |
P. H. Hill October 22, 1874 | Iris H. Wilson (OIC) November 26, 1976 |
John C. Joseph April 2, 1875 | Louise Maestas (OIC) October 13, 1977 |
Jesus Hernandes January 2, 1879 | Robert J. Romero (OIC) April 17, 1978 |
Anthony Joseph July 20, 1881 | Victor P. Jaramillo (OIC) October 12, 1978 |
Carlos A. Hernandez June 16, 1910 | Oralia Charlene Filip(OIC) December 15, 1978 |
Joseph P. Foree April 6, 1914 | Antonio M. Jaramillo January 13, 1979ret |
Anthony F. Joseph July 7, 1917 | Leroy Pierson (OIC) December 3, 1993 |
Carlos A. Hernandez March 9, 1920 | Roger Maestas (OIC) December 8, 1993 |
Esther L. Galvez November 19, 1935 | Lillian B. Gallegos April 30, 1994 |
QUESTA
Leander F. Hamblin March 12, 1883 | Georgianna (Young) Jenkins April 24, 1917 |
Ezra S. Redding April 5, 1893 | Miguel Velasquez March 7, 1923 |
Antonio J. Gomez July 2, 1897 | Jose P. Rael April 16, 1926 |
Jose Leandre Archuleta April 20, 1908 | Antonio J. Trujillo April 5, 1948 |
Celedon Sisneros March 10, 1909 | Emerlinda Medina (OIC) May 2, 1977 |
Jacob Posner August 13, 1912 | Louis G. Sandoval (OIC) April 20, 1978 |
Henry R. Wisehart April 6, 1914 | Doris M.(Romero) Tafoya June 3, 1978 |
Joseph R. Matthews September 3, 1915 |
RANCHOS DE TAOS
Alexander Gusdorf February 3, 1875 | Tomas P. Martinez February 24, 1927 |
Luc B. Stewart September 6, 1875 | Meliton Struck July 9, 1935 |
Alexander Gusdorf February 10, 1876 | Clorinda M. Struck (act) June 27, 1944 |
David Struck October 24, 1896 | Meliton Struck May 8, 1945 |
Squire Hartt, Jr. July 11, 1903 | Bernabe P. Struck July 2, 1971 |
Adolpho Espinosa December 11, 1906 | Elsie E. McKnight (OIC) November 29, 1985 |
Manuel O. Trujillo October 26, 1909 | Sharron D. Flaherty March 1, 1986 |
Maria E. (Ortega) Romero September 12, 1910 |
RED RIVER
Gerson Gusdorf September 25, 1895 | Mary Johnson February 5, 1926 |
Brigham J. Young February 6, 1896 | Lottie Brandenburg (act) February 23, 1933 |
Fremont C. Stevens July 14, 1897 | Nellie Donohue April 18, 1935 |
Harry Brandenburg April 3, 1900 | Lottie Brandenburg April 14, 1936 |
Reason W. Penn December 1, 1905 | John H. Brandenburg (act) January 31, 1954 |
Walter G. Cole April 5, 1916 | John K. Wagner (act) May 12, 1954 |
Ella R. Clapper April 18, 1918 | Elizabeth C. Simion September 20, 1954 |
Eugene T. Lambert January 26, 1922 | Robert W. Prunty August 11, 1958 |
Charles C. Clapper July 11, 1922 | Cruistia Cisneros (OIC) April 1, 1985 |
William Hoxie December 7, 1923 | Joseph M. Carrier July 20, 1985 |
RIO COLORADO
Francisco A. Montoya August 7, 1871 | Discontinued - September 26, 1872 |
Joseph M. Lesser January 24, 1872 | William Clark November 27, 1877 |
RIO LUCIO
Plaseda M. Mascarenas October 22, 1921
RIO PUEBLO
Benito A. Romero August 26, 1910
RODARTE
Maria A. Chacon July 21, 1916 | Walter Brown January 15, 1938 |
Frank Rodarte December 6, 1920 | Roger Duran August 3, 1940 |
Jose E. Madrid August 1, 1922 | Mrs. Isabel Sanchez (act) March 27, 1943 |
Telesfor Lopez April 12, 1932 | Ovaido Martinez March 15, 1945 |
Mrs. Beroniz Maestas August 15, 1933 | Telesfor Lopez December 13, 1954 |
SAN CRISTOBAL
Elmira K.(Mackie) Williams February 16, 1932
Mary Ann Ramsey June 29, 1972
Emelinda A. Medina May 18, 1979
SAN ANTONIO / VALDEZ
SAN ANTONIO
John D. Bohn October 28, 1867
Discontinued August 3, 1868
VALDEZ
Eufracia De Herrera May 21, 1895 | Manuel F. Espinosa January 19, 1903 |
Discontinued - May 4, 1899 | Lilyan Kittredge (acting) July 1, 1938 |
Justa Valdez October 21, 1899 | Pablo Prando August 18, 1938 |
Miguel Apodaca December 11, 1901 | Rogerio Gonzales December 31, 1959 |
Juan Miguel Apodaca January 9, 1902 | Connie S. Espinoza October 31, 1975 |
VOLCANO
C. L. Wieland February 15, 1922
C. Johnson (acting) March 16, 1923
Hazel Stevens (acting) May 16, 1923
SERVILLETA
Rose E. Shiles April 21, 1913 | Soraida L. Giron (acting) April 5, 1928 |
Discontinued - August 9, 1915 | Juan N. Archuleta August 29, 1928 |
George F. McCracken January 22, 1919 | Nannie S. Ware April 1, 1930 |
Brittie M. McCracken May 15, 1920 | Bascome P. Brazel July 30, 1930 |
SKARDA
Albert T. McLind March 13, 1922
Gustave E. McLind May 9, 1927
Walter H. Haynes July 16, 1929
STONG
Charles Wilton October 24,1919
Leslie A. Shaw April 24, 1923
Irene Gertrude Patchen May 9, 1925
Oran N. Poarch (acting) October 13, 1933
Henry J. Wilton March 12, 1934
VIRSYLVIA / SUNSHINE VALLEY
VIRSYLVIA
I. N. Woodman September 29, 1909
Discontinued February 28, 1914
SUNSHINE VALLEY
Vyeva N. Alcox April 19, 1921
Allia A. Blackman July 29, 1921
William H. Shipley December 14, 1922
Perry Roop September
26,1924
TALPA
Pablo C. de Baca January 4, 1904
Juan N. Vigil August 26, 1904
Alfonso Vigil December 19, 1913
Iva M. Smith October 10, 1916
trAMPAS
Jesus M. Medina August 2, 1898 | Samuel Leyba September 24, 1910 |
Benito A. Romero August 25, 1899 | Jose C. Romero July 24, 1913 |
Jesus M. Medina January 20, 1902 |
Discontinued - July 31, 1931 |
Benito A. Romero June 1, 1903 | Jacobo Romero, Jr. December 27, 1937 |
Faustin Leyba August 28, 1909 | Maclovia R. Lopez May 20, 1943 |
Estella O. Lopez March 10, 1961 |
trES PIEDRAS
John P. Thompson May 27, 1880 | Edwin B. Seward January 15, 1908 |
E. C. Griffin October 14, 1880 | Jasper F. Ortiz May 27, 1921 |
Discontinued - November 11, 1880 | Celestino Espinoza (act) January 12, 1924 |
Andrew J. Foose May 17, 1882 | Elmer Grantham April 30, 1924 |
Clarence C. Herd October 25, 1882 | Edwin B. Seward (act) February 3, 1926 |
Robert W. Schrock December 27, 1882 | Robert K. Wilson May 20, 1926 |
Robert H. Nevitt May 14, 1883 | Ward M. Arnold January 11, 1933 |
Discontinued - August 14, 1884 |
Sinfora G. Isaacs (act) April 8, 1943 |
Mary J. Berry October 23, 1884 | William H. Bradley (act) October 26, 1943 |
Marcus Z. Farwell May 9, 1889 | Sinfora G.(Isaacs)Williams Oct. 12, 1945 |
Felix Grant March 30, 1893 | Woodrow O. Cozart June 19, 1946 |
Frank Bolton February 1, 1897 | Vera L. Smith September 10, 1947 |
Felix Grant May 19, 1899 | Edith P. Cozart June 30, 1961 |
Emma L. Seward October 1, 1906 | Judith Lynn Coffman May 23, 1983 |
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