On January 22, 1877, the city of Arlington, Texas, was officially recognized by the U.S. Postal Service. While that might sound fairly innocuous today, in the late 1800s, a town wasn’t truly a town without a post office. It began a new era for Arlington.
Post offices were a sign of a community’s maturity and evolution. It gave a town a permanent, federally recognized identity, marking it as stable and connected. It also literally helped put towns on the map; many westward settlers sought locales with a post office, and those with one began to grow and flourish. Usually located in general stores in those days, the post office often became a vital community hub—a popular intersection of commerce and information.
Arlington was founded on July 19, 1876, when the railroad reached the region. Originally established as “Hayter”—named after Andrew Hayter, who helped guide the Texas and Pacific Railway into Tarrant County and platted the settlement along the tracks—the town was later renamed Arlington. Solomon A. Daniel served as the first postmaster of Hayter, a role he held as the post office officially recognized the Arlington name the following January.
James Ditto then became Arlington’s postmaster on July 30, 1877, and served for nearly a decade. Although the original post office was little more than a desk inside Ditto’s general store, his business thrived as the young town gathered there. Being postmaster carried immense prestige; Ditto became a prominent community leader, in some ways wielding more influence than the mayor.
It wasn’t until 1939 that Arlington received a permanent, standalone post office. Located downtown at 200 W. Main Street, the Colonial Revival building still stands today, though it now serves as a bank. Many post offices from that era have similar architecture—a style specifically chosen by the government for its aesthetic and perceived grandeur, making them a far cry from the dusty general stores of yesteryear. The building is now recognized as a City of Arlington Local Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Arlington’s first standalone post office is currently Worthington Bank
Photo: April 2024
Arlington’s Post Office – listed in the National Register of Historic Places
Photo: January 2021
Today, most people take the mail for granted. But in the early days, the post office was the lifeblood of the community. From its humble beginnings in a general store, the service has grown alongside the city; Arlington now has eight U.S. post offices serving a population of 400,000 people. Take a trip to your local post office and imagine what it was like in 1877, when mail meant the difference between a thriving town and a nondescript railroad stop.
This screenshot from USPS.com shows Arlington’s postmasters for the first 100 years. James I. Carter (1862-1945), civic leader and namesake for Carter Junior High, has held the role longest: 1897-1913 and 1922-1934.
Arlington Postmasters – The First 100 Years
Info from USPS.com
Blog post by Jason S. Sullivan, 01-22-26
Jason S. Sullivan 