78681 - Round Rock, Tx - U.S. Post Offices on Waymarking.com

"The one-story, solid-wall post office of stone rubble was built about 1853. Except for the removal of the post office front porch (for street widening), the appearance of the building is but little changed.

The one-room post office, facing east on the corner, has a load-bearing limestone wall on stone foundations. The original interior and exterior plaster has long since been removed as it deteriorated. A stone chimney pierces the high-pitch, wooden shingle roof at the west (rear) facade where a small fireplace is located. A wooden porch supported by two sturdy, boxed columns extended across the east (front) facade originally. It was removed about 1950 when the street was widened. A narrow, unobtrusive wooden addition was built at the rear in the late 1960s, to house air-conditioning and lavatory.

Thomas C. Oatts and town founder Jacob Harrell are credited with naming the town of Round Rock for the anvil-shaped rock in nearby Brushy Creek on whose banks Oatt's first post office and store were located. After a devastating flood he bought land above the creek from Harrell, and in 1853 built the present structure that became the first permanent post office. Within a few years mail was delivered there thrice weekly, and Oatts may well have provided a wagon yard for his merchantile customers.

Oatts remained postmaster until 1860, but continued his business until 1867 when he sold his store-and-post-office building, and adjoining lots, to Henry Harris, who then sold the property three years later to Dr. Wm. M. Owen and his wife Sarah."