The U.S. Post Office at Max, Nebraska
The first post office in what was to become the town of Max, Nebraska, was located in the cut-bank home of Max Monvoisin. The date was 1880. Monvoisin’s little home was located just west of where Kenny Gardner’s home is currently located. Not long after constructing his cut-bank, Monvoisin began construction on a more substantial home, which was constructed of adobe bricks. Upon it’s completion, the post office was moved to this home.
During this time period, the only post office in the area was the unofficial post office in Monvoisin’s home. Mail was picked up in Culbertson and taken to Jake Haigler’s place down on the Arickaree. Mail carriers would drop off mail for this area at Monvoisin’s, and also pick up any outgoing mail, which was then taken on to Haigler’s.
On March 28, 1881 the postal service officially recognized Max Monvoisin as the official postmaster of “Max”, which at that time was not a town, but only a small collection of sod houses. Yet, the settlement had been officially recognized as a legitimate place, with an official post office, and the only one between Benkelman and Culbertson.
On October 1, 1886, the postal service established a dual mail route. One which went up the Frenchman river, and the other route travelling up the Republican. G.W. Ashburn held the contract for both routes, for which he was paid $300 per route annually. At one point, Ashburn hired a mail carrier who went by the name of George Washington Boone. Boone was reported to be quite the character, and he claimed to be a grandson of Daniel Boone. Boone’s job was to carry the mail from Culbertson to Jake Haigler, while dropping mail off at various ranches and post offices along the way, including at Max Monvoisin’s office. Having this responsibility apparently imbued Boone with an inflated sense of his own authority, and whenever he met another person on the trail, whether afoot, horseback or in a wagon or buggy, Boone would wildly wave his mail bag in the air and shout loudly for all persons to make way so the U.S. Mail could pass.
During this time period, the only post office in the area was the unofficial post office in Monvoisin’s home. Mail was picked up in Culbertson and taken to Jake Haigler’s place down on the Arickaree. Mail carriers would drop off mail for this area at Monvoisin’s, and also pick up any outgoing mail, which was then taken on to Haigler’s.
On March 28, 1881 the postal service officially recognized Max Monvoisin as the official postmaster of “Max”, which at that time was not a town, but only a small collection of sod houses. Yet, the settlement had been officially recognized as a legitimate place, with an official post office, and the only one between Benkelman and Culbertson.
On October 1, 1886, the postal service established a dual mail route. One which went up the Frenchman river, and the other route travelling up the Republican. G.W. Ashburn held the contract for both routes, for which he was paid $300 per route annually. At one point, Ashburn hired a mail carrier who went by the name of George Washington Boone. Boone was reported to be quite the character, and he claimed to be a grandson of Daniel Boone. Boone’s job was to carry the mail from Culbertson to Jake Haigler, while dropping mail off at various ranches and post offices along the way, including at Max Monvoisin’s office. Having this responsibility apparently imbued Boone with an inflated sense of his own authority, and whenever he met another person on the trail, whether afoot, horseback or in a wagon or buggy, Boone would wildly wave his mail bag in the air and shout loudly for all persons to make way so the U.S. Mail could pass.
Sometime in the early 1890’s, Monvoisin built a small frame home and post office on a piece of land inside the Max town limits. The site of Monvoisin’s frame home and post office later became (in 1936) the site of the Krotter-Fitzgerald Service Station. At that time, the Monvoisin building was moved to Boyd Raichart farm just south of Max. The photo above is of Monvoisin’s frame home and post office in Max.
Monvoisin served as postmaster for almost 20 years. After he retired from the position, J.W. Kimsey took over as postmaster, and the post office was located in the same building as the Max telephone company. The building was known as the “Central Office” and is located just west of the current post office.
Monvoisin served as postmaster for almost 20 years. After he retired from the position, J.W. Kimsey took over as postmaster, and the post office was located in the same building as the Max telephone company. The building was known as the “Central Office” and is located just west of the current post office.
After Mr. Kimsey completed his tour as the Max postmaster, he was replaced by Viola Girt (nee: Hickman), who had the post office in her home. Originally, her home was located on the lot immediately north of Boon Performance Auto, and on the same lot that the Max People’s Church eventually sat upon. Mrs. Girt’s later moved into a new home that Mr. Girt had built of brick. It was the first brick home built in Max, and it is still in existence today as a private residence.
An old copy of the Benkelman Post newspaper carried the following notice from Mrs. Girt:
Max Post Office Hours
Post office open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Holiday and Sundays – One hour in the afternoon, from 4 till 5. I ask it as a special favor of the patrons who are in the habit of making a rush for the office after church, not to come before the hour above mentioned and shake the door every two minutes or stamp up and down the porch and when the door is unlocked to rush in like a herd of cattle after a feed of corn, but to come in quietly, get their mail and go out. They have a whole hour in which to get their mail.
Max Post Office Hours
Post office open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Holiday and Sundays – One hour in the afternoon, from 4 till 5. I ask it as a special favor of the patrons who are in the habit of making a rush for the office after church, not to come before the hour above mentioned and shake the door every two minutes or stamp up and down the porch and when the door is unlocked to rush in like a herd of cattle after a feed of corn, but to come in quietly, get their mail and go out. They have a whole hour in which to get their mail.
Yours truly,
Viola M. Girt
Postmistress,
Max, Nebraska
Viola M. Girt
Postmistress,
Max, Nebraska
Exactly when Mrs. Girt assumed the duties of Postmaster at Max is unknown, however, by 1915, the post office was no longer situated in her home, and had been moved to the Cooper Building in the general merchandise store operated by G.E. Presson and his son-in-law Vern Hartsock.
About 1915, or so, the position of Postmaster was assumed by Vera Reynolds, and the post office was moved to the combination store/barber shop/post office that was built by her husband Emmett Reynolds. This building was located directly south, across the street, from the Max State Bank (later Rickard’s Grocery – and currently
vacant). Both Hartsock’s store/ post office and the Reynold’s building are now gone.
vacant). Both Hartsock’s store/ post office and the Reynold’s building are now gone.
Above is the Reynolds’s building. You will notice two doors in the front of the building. The door on the left led to the Reynolds’s Store and barber shop, while the door on the right led to the post office, as indicated by the sign.
In 1925, Emmett and Vera Reynolds left Max, and Mrs. Roxie Selby took over as Postmaster. Mrs. Selby then moved the post office two lots to the west of Reynolds’s building, and into a building that had been used by the Krotter Lumberyard as its office building. Mrs. Selby retired from her position in 1937.
When Mrs. Selby retired, the position of Max Postmaster was awarded to Mrs. Margaret Scott, who continued to operate the post office in the same building used by Mrs. Selby. It is presumed that Mrs. Selby left Max at the time of her retirement, as the Scott’s (Fred and Margaret) moved into the building at that time, operating the post office out of their home as Mrs. Selby had done.
In 1925, Emmett and Vera Reynolds left Max, and Mrs. Roxie Selby took over as Postmaster. Mrs. Selby then moved the post office two lots to the west of Reynolds’s building, and into a building that had been used by the Krotter Lumberyard as its office building. Mrs. Selby retired from her position in 1937.
When Mrs. Selby retired, the position of Max Postmaster was awarded to Mrs. Margaret Scott, who continued to operate the post office in the same building used by Mrs. Selby. It is presumed that Mrs. Selby left Max at the time of her retirement, as the Scott’s (Fred and Margaret) moved into the building at that time, operating the post office out of their home as Mrs. Selby had done.
The Scott’s purchased the building from the Krotter Lumberyard, and the post office was located in their home for over 30 years while Mrs. Scott served as Post Master in the community of Max. When she retired in 1970, her daughter, Mrs. Evelyn Novacek served as Officer-in-Charge, until the post office moved across the street into a small building that continues to serve as the Max post office to this day.
The two photos above show the current Max post office, and also Mrs. Evelyn Novacek, who served first as Officer-in-charge after her mother, Mrs. Margaret Scott retired, and then as Post Master until she too left Max. The current Post Master of Max is Shary Jones.