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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, March 21, 2025, page 10 In the 19th century, ofttimes small settlements had their own post offices in the community's general store. Such was the case with places like Devereaux, Marengo, Eckford, and even Duck Lake. Most of these were closed by the U.S. government in the early 20th century after the adoption of Rural Free Delivery (RFD), and their territories were assigned to larger nearby towns. This is why our postal boundaries are as such today. Northwest of Albion is a rural settlement called Rice Creek, located where the townships of Clarence, Lee, Marengo, and Sheridan intersect at 24 Mile Road, Hatch Road, and L Drive North. Here historically was found a church, a schoolhouse, a cemetery, a popular ball field (1960 to 2008), a general store, and a post office. The first settler was Amos Hadden from Oswego County, New York. He purchased land in Lee Township in 1835 and settled on it. Today this is the site of the former ballfield, and the cemetery. It was Hadden who provided the land for the cemetery which still exists there today. The first Rice Creek Post Office was opened by the U.S. Government on January 11, 1841, with William W. Farrand as the postmaster. It was located on the south side of L Drive North, about a half west of the 24 Mile Road intersection. It is clearly labeled on the 1858 Plat Map of Calhoun County, on land owned by Cales Hanchett. The village was never platted however and the population remained rural, and so the Rice Creek Post Office was closed on November 30, 1857. Note: The 1858 plat map was prepared in 1857 and so that is why the post office appears on the 1858 map. The Rice Creek Post Office was revived on June 27, 1884, when it opened in the general store at the intersection of 24 Mile Road and Hatch Road at the "point" of the triangle just inside Clarence Township. It is listed on acreage owned by E. W. Brownell. The Rice Creek Post Office is listed at this site on the 1894 Atlas of Calhoun County. This Post Office continued in existence until December 30, 1905 when it was closed. For many years there were remains of a stone foundation there. From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photograph of the Rice Creek general store where the Rice Creek Post Office was located from 1884 to 1905. The persons in the photo are unidentified. As a bonus this week as long as I am there, also pictured is an October, 1939 photograph of the Rice Creek country school. Do any of our readers have a Rice Creek postmark on a card or letter? E-mail me a scan of it to Albionfp@hotmail.com and I'll try to share it here with our readers.  The Rice Creek general store where the Rice Creek Post Office was located from 1884 to 1905
 Rice Creek country school in 1939
All text copyright, 2025 © all rights reserved Frank Passic
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