Baldwinsville resident Robert Bitz has just published his 11th book.
Bitz’s latest describes Onondaga County’s approximately 200 post offices, which have existed since the county was formed in 1794. It also summarizes the development of the United States Postal Service. There are pictures of many of the old post offices, dates they were formed, dates they were closed and names of their postmasters.
The book explains the gradual change in the transportation of mail over the years, from transportation by a person on foot or horseback, to stagecoach, to steamboat, to railroad and finally by airplane. Originally most people had to travel several miles to pick up their mail, compared to today when most of us have only to go outside our front door to pick up our mail.
Life in thousands of communities revolved around their local post office for more than 100 years. Mail was about the only source for news of the world outside the local community, and news of happenings in the local community was transferred verbally from one person to another at the local post office.
In about 1900 with the birth of Rural Free Delivery (RFD), many small post offices closed as mail began to be delivered by horse and buggy from larger villages to residents within a few miles. The book includes stories of some of the many difficulties encountered in getting the mail from sender to recipient.
Bitz attended local Baldwinsville schools and has spent his lifetime in the local community. He developed and operated Plainville Turkey Farm and in retirement enjoys writing as a means of helping to make life in the past more relevant to those of us living today and those who will reside in our community in the future.
Locally the book may be purchased at the Shacksboro Museum on Canton Street and the Onondaga Historical Association (OHA) in Syracuse. It, along with several other of Bitz’s books, is also available on line at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
