List of post offices in Colorado facts for kids

Post offices in Colorado have a long and interesting history. They are places where people send and receive mail, buy stamps, and sometimes even handle other government services. For many years, especially in the past, post offices were super important for connecting communities across the big state of Colorado.

What is a Post Office?

A post office is like a central hub for mail. It's where letters and packages start their journey or arrive at their final stop. Think of it as a busy station for all your written messages and parcels. The people who work there help make sure everything gets to the right place.

Mail Delivery in Colorado's Past

In the early days of Colorado, getting mail was a big deal. There were no phones or internet, so letters were the main way to talk to family and friends far away. Mail carriers, sometimes on horseback or in stagecoaches, faced tough challenges. They traveled through mountains, deserts, and harsh weather to deliver important messages.

How Post Offices Helped Towns Grow

Post offices were often the first official buildings in new towns. They helped connect settlers and miners to the rest of the country. If a town had a post office, it meant it was growing and important. Many small towns even got their names from their post offices! Some places, like Auraria (which later became part of Denver), had post offices even before Colorado officially became a state.

Interesting Colorado Post Offices

Colorado has had thousands of post offices over the years. Some were in big cities, while others were in tiny mining camps or farming communities. Many of these small post offices opened and closed as towns grew or shrank.

Highest Post Offices in Colorado

Colorado is famous for its tall mountains, and some post offices were built in very high places!

• The Arastra post office was the highest ever. It was located way up at 12,230 feet (3,728 meters) above sea level! It operated from 1895 to 1919.
• Before that, the Rexford post office was the highest at 11,431 feet (3,484 meters) in the early 1880s.
• The Holy Cross post office was also very high, at 11,428 feet (3,483 meters).
• Today, the Alma post office is the highest in the U.S., sitting at 10,361 feet (3,158 meters).

Post Offices in Ghost Towns

Many old post offices were in places that are now "ghost towns." These were once busy communities that eventually became empty. For example, Animas Forks had a post office high in the mountains. St. Elmo and Tincup also had post offices that served miners and their families. These places remind us of Colorado's exciting past.

Post Offices Today

Today, post offices are still important, even with email and texting. They help deliver packages from online shopping and connect people who live far apart. They are a vital part of how our communities work every day.