At a time when the U.S. Postal System has closed thousands of locations as part of downsizing nationally, the Destrehan Post Office celebrated its 100th anniversary.
It was a humble celebration, but a meaningful one.Red, white and blue balloons marked the location at 13 Plantation Road last Thursday. Inside, the first 100 customers who came by got a chocolate chip cookie. The first patron to receive one was Karen Gaude of Destrehan.
A sign in the lobby marked the occasion like a big greeting card to visitors.
The post office workers posed for a photograph and rushed back to sorting mail and parcels for delivery in hopes of beating Louisiana’s summer heat by the time they got into their vehicles to deliver on their rural routes.
Times have changed for postal workers.
Some of the carriers who started the post office around 30 years ago recalled having to provide their own vehicle to deliver mail. Now, workers on rural routes are provided them.
They also found it interesting that Charmaine Smith, today’s postmaster, has the same last name as the location’s first postmaster 100 years ago, Charles Smith.
“It’s amazing to have such a historical place locally in St. Charles Parish,” said carrier Kathleen Evans, who has worked at this post office more than 30 years. “The community is not aware the system has been established 100 years ago today.”
According to historical accounts, Destrehan got its first post office on June 2, 1916.
The first postmaster was Charles E. Smith.
Smith was followed by Olus H. Shelton in 1920; John F. Basty, 1921; Edward Haderman, 1924; Florence Shelton, 1928; Hazel H. Edrington, 1929; Anna S. Miller, 1930; Nora F. Zeringue, 1936; Edward J. Hymel Jr., 1963; Judith A. Brining, 1993; David L. Luteman Jr., 1994; John L. Bourgeois, 1998l Charles Purcello Jr., 2003; Harold A. Henrichs, 2005; Ezra Pettis, 2010; Denise Trepagnier, 2013, and current Postmaster Charmaine A. Smith.
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