January 31, 2012. GERTIE JONES BONNEY Postmistress
Updated March 25, 2012.
Comment April 20, 2010 - Jane Brumley: Knotts Island had the first US Post Office on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, established January 5, 1833. William Smith was the first postmaster, but it was discontinued on August 2, 1835. The KI post office was re-established January 30, 1856, discontinued on March 13, 1870. It was finally reestablished April 17, 1864 and continues to this day (2010). The first mail was delivered to the Island via sailboat from the mainland of Currituck, NC.
I have no idea who this little boy is. If you notice he has the US Mail in one hand and the Virginia Pilot paper in the other. Before "home delivery" Knotts Island received the paper thru the US Mail. Usually a day later. Does anyone know who this little boy might be?
Comment April 20, 2010 - Jimmy Cason: The boy in the picture is my uncle Ricky Cason. Thats what Mrs. Beasley told me when she gave me the picture. My question: Were there two post offices in 1944 and earlier or was Paul Jones Postmaster at Brumley Rd?
Comment April 20, 2010 - Gary Montalbine: I understand that at one time there were three post offices on the Island. This one was opposite Munden's store at Brumley Rd and Southend Rd and became the only one to service the Island.
Comment April 20, 2010 - Jim Waterfield: There were two post offices. The original post office was called Fruitville.
Comment April 20, 2010 - Melinda Lukei: I have a certificate saying that my grandfather Paul C. Jones was the post master at Jones' store starting March 30, 1914. He was post master until his death 27 Sept 1944.
Comment February 14, 2011. - Cindy Scott: When Cliff was young and lived on Woodleigh road his address was Box 5088, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Even though he lived in North Carolina.
Comment February 14, 2011. - Melinda Lukei: All the mail on Knotts Island had a Munden, VA address. At that time the mail was distributed from VA instead of NC. That happened around 1950 before and after. The mail came to the Princess Anne Station then it was sent to Back Bay where they sent it to Knotts Island by carrier and mail car (a private car of the carrier). The minister Mrs. McClannan carried the mail to Knotts Island for a while while she was getting her minister's degree. I think Ruby Morris also carried the mail there, but I think she worked out of Back Bay Post Office. Princess Anne County became a city, Virginia Beach, VA in 1963 so that's when the address became VA Beach, VA.
Comment February 17, 2011. - Don Austin: The mail boat to Corolla left from Waterlilly (back behind Coinjock) and operated from there from at least 1942. It docked in front of the Justice house. I first rode the mail boat alone in 1946. Some mail may have been routed via Munden Point but that main mail boat docked at Waterlilly. Shirley Justice lived in the house right in front of the dock and people who waited for the boat would wait on her front porch .
Comment February 17, 2011. - Don Austin: Late 40's early 50's most mail in Princess Anne Co. was delivered to different points by train. It ran all the way to Va. Beach and I don't know what year they stopped. There was a Post Office where the track crosses First Colonial at Oceana. One at Lynhaven right behind Beach Ford etc. At one time there was a Post Office at Munden Point and the train ran there too. Carriers would pick up mail at these "whistle stops" and deliver them to very small community Post Offices and to the different "routes"
Comment February 18, 2011. - Jimmy Cason: I have paper work (in her hand writing) that Mrs. Beasley gave me before she passed away that list all the Post Masters for Knotts Island. In that same Paper work it mentions the Woodleigh Post Office, Knotts Island Post Office and the Wild Acres Post Office. All of which were on Knotts Island yet listed under 3 different names 3 different locations. I think she told me that the Wild Acres Post Office was down at "The Neck" what is today called "Whites Neck Lane."
The Va. Beach addresses existed up into the earlier 80s as I recall on the Woodleigh Rd section of the island. When my wife Barbara first moved to the island she had a Va. Beach address at the corner of Woodleigh Rd and Wards Rd.
Here's a funny story for ya.... Sears and Roebuck wouldn't deliver to Knotts Island because it was in NC. So one of our neighbors was told when he tried to place an order over the phone. The discussion went back and forth with no avail until finally he asked; Will you deliver to my in-laws in Va. Beach? They said yes. He gave them the Woodleigh Rd/Va. Beach address. BINGO delivery made ! Instead of driving 60 miles round trip to Pembroke and back it was a 3 mile trip to get whatever he orderd.
From the Newspaper Collection of John Munden. Virginian-Pilot dated March 6, 1955
Comment April 20, 2010 - Jane Brumley: I received this from Mrs Beasley's daughter, Carolyn Beasley Meiggs, who was my best childhood friend. She lives in Maryland and still owns her childhood home here on the Island. There is one mistake in the article. The post office was built on property owned by Mrs Beasley and not accross from the other one. Otherwise pretty accurate article.
September 17, 2010. From Brenda Twiford.
March 25, 2012. The Currituck Advance. October 8, 1999.
August 31, 2011 Knotts Island Post office from Currituck Postal History
