90920 -- Historic Post office -- Kelso CA
Posted by: Groundspeak Premium Member Benchmark Blasterz
N 35° 00.757 W 115° 39.159
11S E 622932 N 3875271
The long-derelict US post office in the WWII-era boomtown of Kelso in the middle of the Mojave desert, in the same building as the L. J. Packard Store.
Waymark Code: WMQVPJ
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 04/01/2016
Published By:Groundspeak Regular Member PTCrazy
Views: 5

The long-closed and tumbledown building that used to hold the Kelso US Post Office and the L. J. Packard store in what's left of downtown Kelso. The zip code for the old Kelso post is still stenciled over the top of the door.

The Kelso post office opened in 1905, hen the town was founded as a helper and locomotive maintenance division point on the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad, which later was folded into the Union Pacific. A grand California Mission Revival depot was built in 1924, and the town boomed during WWII. The decline in railroad traffic after the war and the switch of more efficient diesel locomotives sent the town into decline. The post office closed in 1962, but the depot held on until in 1986.

See: (visit link)

The interpretive sign at the Kelso Depot shares the history of this remote railroad town. The sign reads as follows:

"WORLD WAR II BOOMTOWN

During World War II, troops, tanks, and trucks were shipped through Kelso by rail, creating the need for more helper crews and mechanics. Iron ore from Kaiser Steel's nearby Vulcan Mine was located onto freight cars here to be used in the wartime manufacture of steel.

To accommodate workers and their families, the Union Pacific Railroad and Kaiser Steel set up temporary housing at Kelso.

[photo]
Portable houses lined the tracks in Kelso, 1944. Kelso Depot is on the right, concealed by trees.

[photo]
Lester Packard at his store

After Packard died in 1941, his family leased the store and two adjacent houses to a series of other shopkeepers. The family still owns the building, across the street from Kelso Depot.

The Grissom family leased the Packard store and houses during World War II. Madge Grissom and a friend are in front of the house east of the store, which was later burned down."
Type of structure:: stand alone

re-enter Zip Code here:: 90920

Current Status:: Former Historic Location

Visit Instructions:
To post a log to an existing U.S. Post Office waymark, you will need to post a picture of the front of the building, with the name of the post office in the background if that is possible.

A description of your Post Office is required, such as when it was built, history, outstanding or unique features, population of the city or town, just do a quick internet search and find an interesting bit of information about the city or town and add it to the long description, to make it more interesting. Even just adding in the population of the area can give others an idea of how many people this post office serves. This description should be at least three sentences.

If your Post Office has any unusual or unique features that you feel others would enjoy viewing, additional pictures are always welcome.
Including your gps device in the picture is not necessary, but wouldn't be cause for disapproval, as long as all other details of your log are acceptable.
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Recent Visits/Logs:
Date Logged Log User Rating  
Don.Morfe visited 90920 -- Historic Post office -- Kelso CA 03/05/2022 Don.Morfe visited it
Benchmark Blasterz visited 90920 -- Historic Post office -- Kelso CA 03/08/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it

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