by David Flint
The Stephentown Center Post Office was established on October 31, 1877 and was in continuous service up to September of 1980. At that time, Marion Schmich, who died last month, retired as Postmaster and the Stephentown Center Post Office retired along with her. Schmich was the sixth and last Postmaster there, having served well the people in the community for 30 years. Ezra B. Chase was the first Postmaster. He served until March 6, 1886, when he turned it over to Andrew J. Clark.
Schmich ran the Post Office out of her small home on Newton Road at the sharp curve in the road close by the Black River bridge. Rural post offices were customarily located in the home or place of business of the Postmaster,
and the Stephentown Center Office had prior to 1950 been located at a number of other places in the village before it came to the Schmich home.
When Schmich retired on August 29, 1980, the Postal Service managers in Albany said that they were unable to find suitable quarters to conduct business in the community and so the Office was to be temporarily suspended, with delivery of mail to continue via the Star Route carrier. Although they said they had not decided to close the Office, in fact it never reopened. The Zip Code of 12169 was eventually discontinued, but some people in the area still receive their mail at that Zip.
An article in The Echo on November 4, 1977, marking the occasion of the 100th Anniversary of the Stephentown Center Post Office, noted that, “Although it is microscopic in size, it is gigantic in service, not only to its local box holders, but to the well over 100 additional families who reside on the Star Route which it serves between Stephentown and West Stephentown.” The event was celebrated with a First-Day-Cover with a picture of the little Post Office, and on October 31, 1977, patrons who entered the Office were treated to gifts of candy.
Marion was born in Albany on Veterans Day, then called Armistice Day, in 1919. She married George Schmich in 1937 and resided in Stephentown for over 60 years. After retiring as Postmaster she continued to be a proud member of the National Association of Postmasters of the US up until the time of her death last month.