Villa Park Post Office

(March 20, 1888 – September 29, 1900; December 28, 1900 – April 1, 1906)

Another town where the post office gave the community its name, Villa Park was originally known as Mountain View, but as there already was (and is) a Mountain View Post Office in Northern California, the name Villa Park was adopted. Like many small post offices, it was closed in the early 1900s. In 1964 it was revived as a rural station of the Orange Post Office (1964-72, 1978-80). In 1996, after years of struggle, the City of Villa Park got its own zip code (now 92861) but still gets its postal service through the Orange Post Office. 

Postmasters:

Benjamin C. Barker, 1888-1892

‘An old Republican war horse,” Benjamin Barker (d 1912) came to Mountain View from Iowa in the mid-1880s. His other political appointments include a term on the Orange County Grand Jury (1894) and a job as a Deputy County Assessor. Villa Park historian Louise Booth reports that the post office was originally located in his home.         

John H. Adams, 1892-1902

John Adams (1833-1914) had a ranch in Villa Park, bought the local store in 1890, and moved the post office there after he took charge. Like many smaller post offices, the Villa Park Post Office was discontinued in 1900, but revived three months later, with Adams continuing another two years as postmaster. 

George W. DeLong, 1902-1903

According to Louise Booth’s history of Villa Park, Louis DeLong bought a portion of John Adams Ranch, but it was George DeLong who took over the store and became postmaster, with Miss Emma DeLong serving as postal clerk. George DeLong died of tuberculosis in 1903 at age 48. 

Ernest J. DeLong, 1903-1906

Ernest DeLong (a brother of George?) seems to have taken over the Villa Park Store after George DeLong died. Neither he nor the store are not listed in the 1907 city directory. Postal records seem to suggest that no one was willing to serve as postmaster after that, and local residents now had to go to Olive or El Modena to get their mail. 

(You can find more about Orange County’s post offices and postmasters here)