Old Gloucester Post Office

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The photo attached to this site is the post office operated by Mr. Sammy Leffers.

The history of Gloucester Post Office is as follows:

Gloucester has had six postmasters in seven post offices over the years. Charlotte Ann Pigott (called "Aunt Shan", a corruption of her given names), a sister of Captain Joe Pigott, first handled the mails in a small building located between the homes presently of Everett Honeycutt and Bert Meares. This was across Pigott Road from the home she occupied with her sister Maggie, and now the Kaszas residence.

Wilbur W. Willis became the second postmaster. He built his home now owned by the heirs of Mildred Chadwick (Mrs. Henry) in 1905. He kept the post office in a building he had used earlier as an ice cream parlor in the corner of his front yard. He and Mr. Jimmy Chadwick transported mail from the boat landing at the end of what is now Gloucester Road to the post office by wheelbarrow.

A Methodist minister, Sam Leffers, who also operated a general store and at times was a potato wholesaler, was Gloucester's third postmaster. His post office was in a section of his general store, located across Pigott Road from his home.

Next was Hugh Whitehurst, whose post office was located directly opposite the sharp Pigott Road curve near the present post office.

Sam Leffers became postmaster a second time. The post office during this tenure was in a small building in his front yard. Years after it was abandoned, it was moved by Giles Willis, Sr. to his property at Dick's Creek to form the nucleus of a retirement home for Giles and Anne Willis.

Next, Twyla Pigott (Mrs. Lester) tended the mails in a small building on the site of "Aunt Shah's" first post office.

Sarah Davis (Mrs. Leonard) took over the post office job in the same" building between the Meares and Honeycutt homes and then moved when a new post office was built next door to the former INS grocery. Owned by the late Dan Pigott, that structure boasted an indoor bathroom, air conditioning and hot running water!

Down East Community Assets Map
updated 07/2011 by Down East Ocracoke Hatteras North Carolina