Sutton Post Office

Sutton Post Office. . , As mines were sold and finally closed in the Eska area, many people moved closer to the railroad tracks, to what is now Sutton. Mike O'Neill, former owner of the Alpine Inn, built this wood frame structure to be Sutton's first gas station and post office in 1948 and sided it with a brown brick asphalt façade. It was across the road from the Alpine Inn and functioned as a gas station and post office until 1951. Grace Boulter became Sutton's postmaster on May 31, 1950. It started as part time employment for which she received 56 cents a day. Grace remembers this tiny structure: "The place was so small that around Christmas time I would have to take a couple bags of parcel post and lock them in my car at night." In those days the mail was delivered by train; it was thrown from a railroad car as the train passed the post office on its way to Jonesville Mine., In 1952 this building was moved in to Phil and Jean O'Neill's property at mile 61.5 on the Glenn Highway, now the Alpine Historical Park, where it was used as a chicken coup. In 1988 it was renovated to expose its present wooden siding., Today's Sutton post office is located across Chikaloon Way, on the west side of the Park.