Post Offices of Alger County

Alger County was established on March 17, 1885, and was originally made up of land assigned to Schoolcraft County. It was named in honor of Russell A. Alger, Republican Governor of Michigan (1885-1886), who later became a U.S. Senator (1902-1907). Onota became the first county seat when Schoolcraft County was established in 1871. In 1885 Au Train was the county seat for Alger County, and in 1902 the county seat was moved to Munising. .

Railroad Time-Table Map of Alger County from 1907 - not sure where these towns are? (or were?) This map will help you locate them!

 

Anna River -
Established: October 12, 1888
Township: Au Train
First postmaster: Neil Steinberg
Name changed to: Hallston December 19, 1888
Township: Au Train
Postmaster: Julius W. Gogarn
Discontinued: August 14, 1897
Mail service to Wetmore
 
Au Train -
Established: March 22, 1883
First postmaster: Edward L. Small
County: Schoolcraft
Township: Au Train
Changed to: Alger County March 17, 1885
Changed to: one word in 1894 ((Autrain)Autrain)
Changed to: two words in 1905 to Present (Au Train)
Zip Code: 49806
 
Chatham -
Established: January 19, 1897 to Present
First postmaster: John H. Gatiss, Jr.
Township: Rock River
Zip Code: 49816
 
Christmas -
Established: July 8, 1966
Contract Rural Branch of Munising #3
First postmaster: Evelyn Borbot
Clerk-In-Charge: Pauline Burness
Township: Au Train
Changed to: Contract Community Post Office of Munising #3
July 1, 1975 to Present
Zip Code: 49862
Coalwood -
Established: September 21, 1906
First postmaster: Isadore Cyr
Township: Au Train
Discontinued: July 15, 1910
Mail service to Munising #3
 
Deerton -
Established: August 12, 1922 to Present
First postmaster: Dora H. Gogarn
Township: Onota
Zip Code: 49822
 
Eben Junction -
Established: August 1, 1908 to Present
First postmaster: Emil Hoppe
Township: Rock River
Zip Code: 49825
Floeter
Established: July 2, 1883
First postmaster: Francois X. Brusette
County: Schoolcraft
Township: Munising
Discontinued: July 28, 1884
Re-established: December 26, 1884
Changed to Alger County on March 17, 1885
Discontinued: June 15, 1888
Re-established: October 23, 1888
Name changed to: Munising #2 (October 23, 1889)
Discontinued: December 3, 1895
Name changed to: Wetmore (December 3, 1895-Present)
Zip Code: 49895
Forest Lake -
Established: May 8, 1915
First postmaster: William J. Roberge
Township: Au Train
Discontinued: September 30, 1984
Discontinued: Zip Code 49832
Mail service to Munising #3
Gogarnville (see Munising #1)  
Grand Island -
Established: 1851
Discontinued: 1854
Township: Grand Island
It is possible that a post office may not have existed on Grand Island).
 
Grand Marais -
Established: November 21, 1882 to Present
First postmaster: Charles A. Loughlin
County: Schoolcraft
Township: Burt
Changed to: Alger County on March 17, 1885
Zip Code: 49839
Hallston (see Anna River)  
Jenney -
Established: August 8, 1903
First postmaster: Napoleon L. Nevans
Township: Munising
Discontinued: November 30, 1905
Mail service to Manistique
Kiva -
Established: December 11, 1915
First postmaster: Sigrid Kivimaki
Township: Limestone
Discontinued: August 11, 1967
Discontinued: Zip Code 49850
Mail service to Trenary
Limestone -
Established: October 12, 1892
First postmaster: John H. Johnson
Township: Limestone
Discontinued: July 15, 1984
Discontinued: Zip Code 49851
Mail service to Chatham
Melstrand -
Established: July 11, 1917
First postmaster: Frank C. Sorenson
Township: Munising
Discontinued: February 15, 1926
Mail service to Shingleton
 
Munising #1
Established: December 22, 1868
First postmaster: William A. Cox
County: Schoolcraft
Township: Munising
Discontinued: April 10, 1873
Re-established: December 12, 1873
County: Schoolcraft
Township: Munising
Discontinued: May 16, 1883
Mail service to Au Train
Re-established: January 22, 1884
County: Schoolcraft
Township: Munising
Changed to: Alger County on March 17, 1885
Name changed to: Gogarnville October 23, 1889
Township: Munising
Discontinued: July 15, 1893
Mail service to Munising #2
Munising #2 (see Floeter)  
Munising #3 -
Established: January 4, 1896 to Present
Township: Munising
First postmaster: Arthur S. Nestor
Zip Code: 49862
 
Onota -
Established: May 16, 1870
First postmaster: Robert A. White
County: Schoolcraft
Township: Onota
Discontinued: August 14, 1879
Re-established: May 18, 1881
Changed to: Alger County on March 17, 1885
Discontinued: February 29, 1924
Mail service to Deerton
Petrel -
Established: September 2, 1903
First postmaster: E. V. McGregor
Township: Munising
Discontinued: June 29, 1907
Mail service to Shingleton
 
Reedsboro -
Established: March 29, 1886
First postmaster: Archibald Gibbs
Township: Munising
Discontinued: February 16, 1887
Mail service to Floeter
 
Rock River -
Established: February 20, 1886
First postmaster: John H. Johnson
Township: Onota
Discontinued: June 15, 1898
Mail service to Onota
Re-established: October 29, 1898 as one word (Rockriver).
Discontinued: June 15, 1906
Mail service to Au Train
Rumely -
Established: September 24, 1906
First postmaster: Cyrille Valind
Township: Rock River
Discontinued: March 31, 1943
Re-established: December 16, 1947
Changed to: Contract Rural Station of Eben Junction on September 1, 1959.
Changed to: Contract Rural Branch of Eben Junction on February 10, 1966.
Changed to: Contract Community Post Office of Eben Junction on July 1, 1975 to Present
Zip Code: 49826

Shingleton -
Established: September 20, 1887
First postmaster: James M. Carr
Township: Munising
Discontinued: May 31, 1897
Mail service to Wetmore
Re-established: November 26, 1901 to Present
Zip Code: 49884
Sundell -
Established: August 31, 1922
First postmaster: Selma Harsila
Township: Rock River
Discontinued: August 25, 1967
Discontinued: Zip Code 49838
Mail service to Rumley Rural Branch of Eben Junction
Traunik -
Established: July 25, 1927
First postmaster: Louis Mikulich
Township: Limestone
Discontinued: May 4, 1996
Discontinued: Zip Code 49890
Mail service to Trenary
Trenary -
Established: February 25, 1902 to Present
First postmaster: Alanson W. Clark
Township: Mathias
Zip Code: 49891
 
Tyoga -
Established: February 15, 1906
First postmaster: John W. Bailey
Township: Onota
Discontinued: July 31, 1907
Mail service to Onota
 
Wetmore (see Floeter)  
Winters -
Established: September 20, 1889
First postmaster: John D. Winters
Township: Mathias
Discontinued: August 15, 1923
Re-established: February 25, 1924
Discontinued: June 15, 1928
Mail service to Trenary
Youngs -
Established: May 5, 1899
First postmaster: Frank Youngs
Township: Burt
Discontinued: May 15, 1901
Mail service to Seney
References:

Michigan Postal History The Post Offices 1805-1986 (1993) by David M. Ellis

Michigan Place Names (1986) by Walter Romig

National Archives & Records Administration