In 1962, Brookdale resident Herman Irwin, after whose family Irwin Way is named, recalled the history of the Brookdale Post Office. It was originally located at the north end of Pacific Avenue, then called Bloom Street, in the last home on the left side; called “Stewart Cottage”. It was close to the bridge leading to Huckleberry Island, and near the Brookdale Railroad Station.
Judge James Harvey Logan, cultivator of the loganberry, a raspberry crossed with a wild blackberry, owned land around Clear Creek which he subdivided into lots. In April 1902 the Brookdale Post Office was established, officially changing the name of the settlement from Clear Creek. The first postmistress was Elizabeth R. Stewart. Irwin recalled that around 1906 the Post Office was moved to a building close to the location of the Post Office today. In 1909, Elizabeth’s husband, John, was also noted as postmaster. Elizabeth died in 1910 and Judge Logan was appointed postmaster.
In 1912, acting postmaster, twenty-one-year-old, Joseph Herbert Turcott, nephew of Judge Logan, was charged with “embezzling and secreting letters.” Turcott had taken over 2,000 pieces of mail and hidden them in the loft of his barn. The San Francisco Call newspaper noted, “It is thought that he sidetracked the letters because he was too lazy to handle them.” Bail bond was set at a staggering $2000 which Judge Logan and Mrs. Du Leroy paid.
Irwin recalled that when the Brookdale Grocery store was built, the Post Office was moved to the end of the store, on the south side of the intersection of Highway 9 and Pacific Avenue.
Later, Albert J. Schumacher, who took over as postmaster, constructed a building just across the road, where the Post Office was until it burned in a fire in December 2024. During World War II the Post Office had to be closed because Schumacher had enlisted to serve his Country. His successor was Howard Hollen, who, when he also enlisted, handed the reigns to his wife.
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