Media Advisory: “Celebrating 107 Years of Rural Free Delivery”

Hennessey Post Office to Reenact Oklahoma's 1st Rural Route Delivering Mail by Horse and Buggy August 15, 2007

WHAT:
As an official Oklahoma Centennial event, the employees of the Hennessey Post Office and members of the Hennessey community will celebrate the 107th anniversary of Rural Free Delivery in Oklahoma on August 15, 2007.  Oklahoma's first rural route began delivery on August 15, 1900 in Hennessey.  To commemorate this important milestone, mail will be delivered by horse and buggy in the downtown business district and to Oklahoma Centennial Farms.  Along the way a very special delivery will be made to local resident Ms. Imogene Wilson who is 102 years young.

The Hennessey Post Office will provide refreshments and a pictorial postmark, Oklahoma's Original Rural Route Station.

WHO:
Julie Gosdin, U.S. Postal Service District Manager for Oklahoma
Gary Townsend, Postmaster, Hennessey, Oklahoma
Rob Johnson, State Representative
Patrick Anderson, State Senate
Gil Sreaves, State Steward, National Rural Letter Carriers Association
Rick Vickery, Assistant State Steward, National Rural Letter Carriers Association

WHEN:
11:00 a.m. (CT)
Wednesday, August 15, 2007

WHERE:
Hennessey Main Post Office
221 S. Main Street
Hennessey, OK 73742

BKGRD:
The Postal Service established free delivery of mail to rural areas in 1896. Oklahoma's first rural route began serving customers on August 15, 1900 in Hennessey, Oklahoma.  According to the Hennessey Clipper newspaper, Albert Darrow was the first Oklahoma Rural Carrier; his route was 24 miles long andcovered a 31 square mile area with a population of 700.  Darrow provided his own transportation, a horse and wagon and received an annual income of $500.

Re-enactment of Hennessey's first rural deliveries is one of hundreds of community sponsored official Oklahoma Centennial projects across the state to help celebrate its 100 years of statehood.