Going Postal

Fort Morgan lies on what is often referred to as the Overland Trail, the road taken by the Central Overland California and Pike’s Peak Express Company to deliver mail to Denver in the early 1860s. The trail roughly followed along the south side of the South Platte River. There had been other mail services beginning in 1859, but Ben Holliday’s COC&PP soon became the primary service.




In the Fort Morgan area, there were four main stations: American Ranch (near Merino), Beaver Creek (near Brush), Bijou Creek (near Fort Morgan), and Fremont’s Orchard (near Orchard). The stations were placed approximately 12 to 15 miles apart to allow for travelers on the mail coaches to rest and the teams to be changed. A few letters survive from this era. The earliest postmarks bear a K.T. for Kansas Territory which was changed to C.T. in 1861 when Colorado became a separate territory.



Fort Morgan also sported a telegraph station sometimes referred to as Junction House, Junction Ranch(e), Junction Station or Post Junction. Frank Young wrote of his travels in 1865 across the plains just months after Indians had raided ranches all along the South Platte River Road and shut down the mail, but by the spring, the Indian attacks had abated and Young crossed the area without incident. His company traveled through the Fort Morgan area on Easter Sunday of that year and learned the shocking news of President Lincoln’s assassination just two days after it occurred.In 1865, the mail and telegraph consolidated at the newly established fort.

Most of the post offices closed in the late 1860s, but began re-opening in the 1870s with the establishment of railroad towns. One of the first post offices to re-open was at South Platte, a town built near the remains of American Ranch across the river from Merino – or Buffalo as the town was first named.

Historical postmarks from these postal stations are highly collectible and have been sold at auction for up to $4750.

-------
Photo sources: Schulyer Rumsey Philatelic Auctions www.rumseyauctions.com/home
Sources: Shwayder, Chronology of Weld County, Colorado, 1836-1983.