Headsville, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Headsville is an unincorporated community in Mineral County
, West Virginia
, USA. It is part of the Cumberland
, MD
-WV
Metropolitan Statistical Area. It lies between U.S. Route 50
and West Virginia Route 46 alongside Pattersons Creek.
Fort Cocke
of the French and Indian War
was located near Headsville.
in the United States
. It was purchased by the Smithsonian Institution
and moved to Washington, D.C.
where it reopened in 1971 in the National Museum of American History
.
After 35 years as a working model of a 19th-century post office and general store, the historic Headsville Post Office shut its doors when the museum was closed for renovation in 2006, and plans were made to reopen it at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte
, Pennsylvania
, headquarters of the American Philatelic Society
.
A specially prepared climate-controlled pavilion was prepared to house the Headsville post office, named for former Third Assistant Postmaster General Gordon C. Morison and his wife Mary, who did much to promote stamp collecting
. The pavilion was dedicated October 20, 2007. The first shipment of the expertly dismantled Headsville post office, carefully crated by the Smithsonian for transport, arrived in late 2007 and early 2008, and was reassembled in Bellefonte after the Morison Pavilion had been tested for environmental suitability. The historic Headsville Post Office was reopened as a Contract Post Office on March 3, 2008.
Mineral County, West Virginia
Mineral County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the population was 28,212. Its county seat is Keyser.-Ancient history:...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, USA. It is part of the Cumberland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
, MD
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
-WV
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. It lies between U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
and West Virginia Route 46 alongside Pattersons Creek.
Fort Cocke
Fort Cocke
Fort Cocke was a stockade, made of wooden palisades up stream from Fort Ashby. It was a square ninety feet on a side and enclosed about 1/5 acre. Blockhouses were built at each of the four corners. A barracks to house fifty men was constructed within the stockade.It was built by Captain William...
of the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
was located near Headsville.
Post office
Headsville had the oldest operating post officePost office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was purchased by the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
and moved to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
where it reopened in 1971 in the National Museum of American History
National Museum of American History
The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center collects, preserves and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Archie Bunker's...
.
After 35 years as a working model of a 19th-century post office and general store, the historic Headsville Post Office shut its doors when the museum was closed for renovation in 2006, and plans were made to reopen it at the American Philatelic Center in Bellefonte
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Bellefonte is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies about twelve miles northeast of State College and is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, headquarters of the American Philatelic Society
American Philatelic Society
The American Philatelic Society is the largest nonprofit stamp collecting and organization of philately in the world, with almost 44,000 members from 110 countries...
.
A specially prepared climate-controlled pavilion was prepared to house the Headsville post office, named for former Third Assistant Postmaster General Gordon C. Morison and his wife Mary, who did much to promote stamp collecting
Stamp collecting
Stamp collecting is the collecting of postage stamps and related objects. It is one of the world's most popular hobbies, with the number of collectors in the United States alone estimated to be over 20 million.- Collecting :...
. The pavilion was dedicated October 20, 2007. The first shipment of the expertly dismantled Headsville post office, carefully crated by the Smithsonian for transport, arrived in late 2007 and early 2008, and was reassembled in Bellefonte after the Morison Pavilion had been tested for environmental suitability. The historic Headsville Post Office was reopened as a Contract Post Office on March 3, 2008.