Saint Benedict, Oregon facts for kids

Saint Benedict is the name of the post office you can find at Mount Angel Abbey in Marion County, Oregon, United States. It's a small but important part of the abbey's history and daily life.

What is Saint Benedict?

Saint Benedict is a special post office that serves the community around Mount Angel Abbey. A post office is a place where people can send letters and packages, buy stamps, and pick up their mail. The ZIP code for this post office is 97373.

A Little Bit of History

The story of the Saint Benedict post office is quite interesting, involving a few moves before it found its current home.

Moving the Post Office

The post office wasn't always at Mount Angel Abbey. It first started in a town called Gervais. In 1884, it moved to the nearby town of Mt. Angel. However, the postal service had a rule: a new post office couldn't be set up if it was too close to an existing one. The Mount Angel post office was less than a mile away, so the abbey couldn't have its own post office right then.

Things changed when a new abbey building was finished in 1903. This new building was built on top of a nearby hill called Mount Angel butte. Finally, in 1914, the Saint Benedict post office was officially opened at this new location, high up on the butte.

Why the Name Saint Benedict?

The name "Saint Benedict" comes from the abbey itself. Mount Angel Abbey was originally called Saint Benedict's Abbey. This name was chosen in honor of Benedict of Nursia. He was a very important person who founded a group of monks called the Order of Saint Benedict. So, the post office carries on this historical and religious name.

Images for kids

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  A view of Saint Benedict, Oregon.

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  A sign for the post office.