The Genealogy Blog reminded me that part of telling the story of our ancestors is describing how they stayed in touch with family members through the Post Office.
In his stories of his childhood and family, Robert Knapp described the trek to get the mail in the 1920s in Northern Wisconsin.
Two hungry and tired boys from the long weary trip from their home through the deep snows of Northern Wisconsin, breathed a sigh of relief as they approached the warm and most comfortable kitchen of the Great Logging Company Camp J. The six mile trip had been made, the fresh fallen snow had berried all emaginations of the way, but knowing the route so well from the many trips made during lesser snows, the Boys, Robert and Wayne had least trouble finding their way.
The strong smell of wood smoke filled their nostrils as they came closer, and the smoke from the stove pipe in that wonderful kitchen drifted upward and away through the virgin timber that surounded the complete camp sight…
…Visits to Camp “J” were made frequently through the winter, as this was where the mail was delivered to, from any and all points, to the people of Taylor Rapids. That was as near to the residence of that community as mail could be delivered, unless it would be picked up at the small town of Goodman, the nearest Post Office, ten miles away.
Camp “J” was situated in the midst of a great forest of virgin timber, loggers from all parts of the state came there to work in this fine woods. Sweedes, Polocks, Russians, Frenchman, almost every breed that could be named, worked there. Many of these men never left camp all winter long. Dozzens of beautiful teams of horses were used to bring the timber that was cut to the railroad where it could be moved to the Company Mill for further finishing into lumber Pulp, Post, Poles, etc. Many Railroad ties were also produced at this fine camp.
Logging Camp J in the 1920s in Northern Wisconsin
Robert F. Knapp
Trips to Camp J for mail was an important part of the lives of my ancestors. Genealogy Blog also mentions Jim Forte’s Postal History site as another resource for information and postal covers of post offices of all kinds.
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