Source: Dedication Exercises of Teaneck Post Office, Post Office Department, United States of America, Saturday, May 21, 1960 -- Pamphlet from the Teaneck collection of Teaneck Public Library
History of Postal Operations, Teaneck, New Jersey
When old time residents of Teaneck reminisce about the days prior to 1918, many of them recall that postal service in this area was provided by Dan Coakley, a Rural Free Delivery Route carrier, who worked out of the Englewood Post Office.
The first township post office was opened in 1918 and was located in the West Englewood railroad station but the town continued to be served by Rural Free Delivery Service until November 1, 1922. By this time Teaneck had received a fair share of the Bergen County population growth of the early 1920's and Village Delivery Service was instituted. George Ahrens, new the Assistant Postmaster, became the first walking letter carrier in Teaneck and the Rural Free Delivery Route served the rest of the town and portions of Bergenfield and New Milford.
The population increase pushed postal receipts to a point where Teaneck was designated a second class post office on August 1, 1924. This classification established a City Delivery Service and allowed Parcel Post Service to be handled from the local office. Clifford C. Hanks was appointed Postmaster and John T. Sedevic, who is still active as a postal letter carrier, became the number one letter carrier at that time.
In 1928, the Hackensack Post Office opened a branch on Palisade Avenue, Teaneck, to serve the lower portion of the Township. The two postal stations operated as separate units until 1936. They were then combined into one office and granted a first class postal designation. Teaneck was made the main office and West Englewood became the Station. At the time of consolidation, James J. Allen was appointed Postmaster and headed a combined staff of 25 employees.
John F. Carroll succeeded Mr. Allen as Postmaster in July, 1949. The present Postmaster, Merrill M. Tucker, was appointed Acting Postmaster August 1,1957.
At the present time there are over 100 employees serving close to 42,000 residents of Teaneck. The staff is composed of 6 Supervisors, 36 letter carrier foot routes and 8 vehicle routes. The balance of employees is divided among clerks, substitutes (clerks and carriers}, mail-handlers and custodians. This staff on a normal day handles over 100,000 pieces of incoming mail and about 80,000 pieces of outgoing mail.
When the construction of the new post office building was delayed by unforseen circumstances and the generous extensions of time which had been granted on the leased quarters at Palisade Avenue could no longer be given, the majority of the activities of the Postal Unit were moved to emergency quarters in West Englewood on December 30, 1959. The Financial Unit continued to use the front portion of the Palisade Avenue building until February 22, 1960 when the building was finally vacated after 34 years of postal occupancy. Temporary headquarters for the financial unit was established in the Teaneck railroad station. Although postal operations were being conducted from three widely separated buildings, the cooperation and hard work of the entire staff provided Teaneck with efficient service during this emergency period.
Today, all the Township Postal Units, with the exception of the West Englewood Clerk and Carrier Force, are now united in a new building specifically designed for efficient postal operations.
