Winters in Runnels County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Blue Gap Post Office

Photographed By Duane Hall, October 4, 2014

1. Blue Gap Post Office Marker

Inscription. Named for Gap in Table Mountain. Established Feb. 14, 1878; post office transferred in 1882 to the town of Content 2 miles north. The one-room structure has hand-hewn cedar rafters, cedar shingle roof, and walls of roughly-hewn oak logs. Also served as a stop on the Round Rock to Buffalo Gap stage route. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark–1966.

Originally located 16 miles east of Winters. Donated to the Z.I. Hale Museum in 2000. Reconstructed in Winters in 2013 by a crew headed by Fred Watkins, Roger Stephenson, Charles Brewer, and Mike Kozelsky.

Postmasters at Blue Gap

James K. Paul - February, 14 1878
B.F. Sullivan - September 16, 1878
J.J. Craig - April 15, 1879
James K. Paulk - June 2, 1879
A.A. Hanscomb - January 26, 1880
Discontinued in March 1881

Erected 2013.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Postal Mail and Philately series list. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1861.

Location. 31° 57.501′ N, 99° 57.759′ W. Marker is in Winters, Texas, in Runnels County. Marker is on N. Main Street (U.S. 83) north of E. Dale Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Winters TX 79567, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Winters (a few steps from this marker); Winters Public Library (a few steps from this marker); Winters Lodge No. 743, A.F. & A.M. (within shouting distance of this marker); Winters State Bank (within shouting distance of this marker); Rock Hotel (approx. 0.2 miles away); Winters FFA Chapter (approx. 0.4 miles away); Old Cotton Oil Mill (approx. half a mile away); Winters Brass Band (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Winters.

More about this marker. A Texas state marker on the Blue Gap Post Office was originally installed in May 1963 near Blue Gap in the northeast corner of Runnels County. The first paragraph of the current marker includes text from the original marker; the second paragraph is information about the relocation and reconstruction of the structure in Winters. The original 1963 Texas State Historical Survey Committee marker medallion is set in a concrete block below the current marker.

Also see . . .
1. Blue Gap, TX. From the Texas State Historical Association’s “Handbook of Texas Online”. (Submitted on October 15, 2014.)

2. Content, TX. From the Texas State Historical Association’s “Handbook of Texas Online”. (Submitted on October 15, 2014.)

Additional commentary.

Photographed By Duane Hall, October 4, 2014

2. Blue Gap Post Office Marker

The original 1960s Texas Historical Survey Committee marker medallion is located below the marker

1. 1963 Texas State Historical Survey Committee Marker
The Texas State Historical Survey Committee marker installed at Blue Gap in May 1963 included the following text:

First post office in Runnels County. Named for Gap in Table Mountain. Established Feb. 14, 1878; used until transferred in 1882 to the town of Content 2 miles north. Last postmaster was A. A. Hanscomb. The one-room structure has hand-hewn cedar rafters, hand-made shingle roof and walls of roughly-hewn logs. Also served as a stop on the Round Rock to Buffalo Gap stage route. Cabin was recently restored. (1962)

The State identification number for the marker was 518.

— Submitted April 12, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.

Blue Gap Post Office image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, October 4, 2014

3. Blue Gap Post Office

View to North Along US 83 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, October 4, 2014

4. View to North Along US 83

View to South Towards Downtown Winters image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, October 4, 2014

5. View to South Towards Downtown Winters

Blue Gap Post Office in 2015 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Duane Hall, April 10, 2015

6. Blue Gap Post Office in 2015

The nearby marker on Winters was installed in February 2015

Credits. This page was last revised on August 28, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 15, 2014, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 469 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 15, 2014, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. 6. submitted on April 15, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.