Barefoot mailman facts for kids

The barefoot mailman is a famous symbol from Florida's past. It refers to the brave mail carriers who delivered mail between 1885 and 1892. Their route stretched from Palm Beach down to Miami, Coconut Grove, and Lemon City.

These mailmen had a tough job. There were no roads connecting the 68-mile route from Palm Beach to Miami. So, they had to walk and travel by boat. About 28 miles of the trip was by rowing different boats. The rest was walking along the firm sand of the beach.

This mail delivery was a special type called a Star Route. This meant the carriers had a contract with the Post Office. The route was first called the "barefoot route." The carriers were known as "beach walkists" or "beach walkers." The term "barefoot mailman" didn't become popular until around 1940.

The Barefoot Route

In the early 1880s, mail delivery ended at the communities around Lake Worth. There was no mail service south of Palm Beach. Places like Miami got their mail once a week by a schooner boat from Key West.

A new mail route, a Star route, was set up in 1885. It connected Lake Worth and Biscayne Bay. The full trip from Palm Beach to Miami and back was 136 miles. It took six days to complete!

Here's how a typical trip went:

• The carrier would leave Palm Beach on Monday morning.
• They would travel by boat to the south end of the Lake Worth Lagoon.
• Then, they would walk along the beach to the Orange Grove House of Refuge (now in Delray Beach). They would spend the night there.
• On Tuesday, they continued walking to the Fort Lauderdale House of Refuge for another night.
• Wednesday involved a boat trip down the New River. After that, they walked down the beach to Baker's Haulover Inlet. Finally, they traveled by boat across Biscayne Bay to Miami.
• The return trip started on Thursday, getting back to Palm Beach by Saturday.

This route was called the "barefoot route" because the carriers walked without shoes on the beach. People who could walk long distances on the sloping beach without getting tired were called "beach walkists." The barefoot route continued until 1892. That's when a new rock road was finished from Lantana to Lemon City.

The phrase "barefoot mailman" was first used in 1939. Charles William Pierce, who had been a carrier, used the term. He was writing to Stevan Dohanos, an artist painting murals about another carrier, James Edward Hamilton. The term first appeared in a newspaper in 1940.

The Barefoot Mailmen

The very first barefoot mailman was Edwin Ruthven Bradley. He was a retired newsman from Chicago who lived in Lake Worth. He won the mail contract in 1885 for $600 a year. He and his son, Louie, took turns delivering the mail once a week for about two years. His other son, Guy Bradley, later became famous for protecting birds as a game warden.

The third and most well-known barefoot mailman was James E. "Ed" Hamilton. He took over the contract from Bradley in 1887. Sadly, Hamilton disappeared while on the route shortly after October 10, 1887. He wasn't feeling well when he passed through Hypoluxo. When he didn't return, a search began.

Hamilton's clothes and belongings were found on the north side of the Hillsboro Inlet. He never reached the Fort Lauderdale House of Refuge, which was south of the inlet. The boat he used to cross the inlet was also missing. People believed he might have drowned or been taken by a shark or alligator while trying to swim across the inlet. His body was never found.

After Hamilton's disappearance, Andrew Garnett took over the mail contract. Charles William Pierce sometimes filled in for Garnett. Other men who carried the mail on this route included George Charter, Bob Douthit, Dan Kelly, Dan McCarley, Frederick Matthaus, Otto Matthaus, Edward "Ned" Peat, George Sears, and a man known only as Stafford. Henry John Burkhardt was the last barefoot mailman.

Remembering the Barefoot Mailmen

The story of the barefoot mailmen is an important part of Florida's history. Many things remember their hard work and bravery.

Town of Hypoluxo

The town of Hypoluxo, which became a town in 1955, used to have welcome signs that said, "Welcome to Hypoluxo – home of the Barefoot Mailman."

Historical Marker

There is a Florida state history marker in Boca Raton. It is located at Spanish River State Park. This marker honors the barefoot mailmen and their unique service.

Statue

A stone statue of the Barefoot Mailman was once displayed near the Hillsboro Inlet Light. It had an inscription remembering James E. Hamilton. It said he lost his life there on October 11, 1887.

In 2012, a new, larger bronze statue replaced the old stone one. The original statue was 40 years old and had been damaged by weather and time. The new bronze statue is 8 feet tall and stands on a 5-foot granite base.

Post Office Mural

In 1939, the Treasury Department asked artist Stevan Dohanos to paint murals. These murals showed the "Legend of James Edward Hamilton, Mail Carrier." They are in the West Palm Beach Post Office.

Charles W. Pierce, who had been a barefoot mailman, was the Postmaster in Boynton Beach at the time. He helped Dohanos by providing photos of James Hamilton. Dohanos later said that Pierce was the first to use the term "barefoot mailman." This term then became linked to the murals. Some of the original sketches for these murals are now in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Novel and Film

The story of James Hamilton inspired a novel called The Barefoot Mailman. Theodore Pratt wrote it in 1943. Later, in 1951, the book was made into a movie. It starred actors like Robert Cummings and Terry Moore.

Scout Hike

The Boy Scouts of America in South Florida have an annual event. It's a 35-mile, two-day hike. Scouts walk along parts of the original trails used by the Barefoot Mailmen. The Scouts even carry real U.S. Mail! They have to be self-sufficient for the whole hike, carrying their own gear and food.