EARLY POSTAL SERVICE

 DURING THE YEAR 1820 A FOUR HORSE COACH DELIVERED THE POST DOWN RIVER FROM RUMFORD, THROUGH MEXICO, DIXFIELD AND PERU.  BY 1839 THE MEXICO POST OFFICE WAS OPENED AND, FITTINGLY ENOUGH, ISAAC GLEASON WAS THE FIRST POSTMASTER.

THE EARLIEST POST-RIDERS WENT ON HORSEBACK, THEIR MAIL POUCHES STRAPPED ON BEHIND THEIR SADDLES.  MAIL STUCK OUT OF THEIR POCKETS AND HAT BANDS.  THE RIDER CARRIED A TIN HORN AND AS HE GALLOPED THROUGH A SETTLEMENT HE'D BLAST A SIGNAL ON HIS HORN AND THE HOUSE HOLDERS WOULD RUN OUT TO MEET HIM, GRABBING THE MAIL AS HE GALLOPED ON.  NO HOUSEHOLDER WOULD DREAM OF DELAYING THE POST.

IN 1826 A BRIDGE WAS ATTEMPTED A THE 'FORDING PLACE'. SWIFT RIVER WAS, AND STILL IS, FAMOUS FOR TURNING FROM A TAME STREAM INTO A RAGING RIVER AND SO MUCH PLANNING WENT INTO THE BUILDING OF THE BRIDGE.  IT WAS PLACED NEAR THE MOUTH, WHERE IT FLOWS INTO THE ANDROSCOGGIN, AND "WHERE THE POST TRAVELS FROM THE EAST". THE BRIDGE WAS SWEPT AWAY BY THE FRESHET OF 1827, THE ICE AND LOGS TEARING IT AWAY AS IF IT WERE MADE OF TOOTHPICKS.  IT WAS NOT REBUILT, AS ALL AGREED IT WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE TO BUILD A BRIDGE EVERY SUMMER JUST TO HAVE IT SWEPT AWAY EACH SPRING.