West Chester, as it’s known today, partly takes its name from the local branch of the U.S. Post Office.
On June 2, 1823, our community was officially named Union Township when, 200 years ago, the Butler County commissioners divvied up Liberty Township. Ohio petitioned for statehood only two decades prior.
Union Township remained the official name from 1823 until 2000 when voters approved the formal switch to West Chester Township – a name generations of people already associated with our community. It’s unclear where “Union” comes from specifically; however, West Chester almost certainly has to do with the mail.
For a better understanding, go back even further to 1817. Prior to and during its early establishment as Union Township, the many parts of our 35-square-mile area were known to locals and travelers by word-of-mouth using names of the individual communities taking shape here.
On March 8, 1817, the swath of property directly east and west of Cincinnati Dayton Road – roughly between what is today Lesourdsville West Chester Road to the south and the Interstate 75 interchange to the north – was first platted by Hezekiah Smith, a Baptist minister. The first 64 acres was recorded as the Town of Mechanicsburgh, an homage to the mechanics who aided the farmers making a living in this settlement. In the years before its development, townspeople of the time informally referred to the area as “Hogtown” for the livestock raised on the land there.
Today we call this original village Olde West Chester, adding the prefix for distinction. But where did “West Chester” come from?
Villages like (Olde) West Chester formed within all corners of Union Township’s borders in the 19th century and developed into small, bustling towns of their own with names like Gano, Maud, Pisgah, Port Union, Rialto and Tylersville. Each village came with its unique qualities, topographies and ways of life. Vestiges of these old villages and their charm remain a notable part of our past, present and future.
On April 1, 1824, the Post Office was established just east of Mechanicsburgh. This was the first of many branches to open throughout Union Township. It was named Chester because, it’s said, the Postal Official in Washington, D.C. in charge of such things was from Westchester, New York.
Back in those days, there was no delivery service. Residents traveled into town to collect their mail. The thriving village near where the Post Office was located could be described as, “… west of Chester.” It’s believed this branch quickly changed names to West Chester Post Office to avoid any confusion and on October 2, 1826, the village of Mechanicsburgh followed suit.
Fun Facts
Six satellite Post Office branches opened and closed in the villages of Union Township between 1843 and 1978. Residents in southeast and western portions of the community have also been served by branches in Sharonville and Hamilton at one time or another.
Mail was initially delivered in saddlebags on horseback once per week from larger cities to West Chester for local distribution, and later by train.
The current West Chester, Ohio Post Office has moved into and out of different locations mostly along Cincinnati Dayton Road several times. It’s said in the early 20th century, the location would change when there was a change in Postmasters, who would usually operate out of their homes. Today’s facility was built in the late 1970s and is located at 8730 Cincinnati Dayton Road.
Casper Bedacht is the community’s first mail carrier. He began making deliveries to homes and businesses by horse and wagon on July 1, 1903. Before his death at age 98 in 1980, Virginia Shewalter interviewed Mr. Bedacht for her book, “A History of Union Township, Butler County, Ohio,” from which much of the information in this edition of Foundations is sourced.
West Chester is today represented by five different zip codes – 45011, 45014, 45069, 45241 and 45246. The largest portion of the Township falls within the 45069 zip code.
Post Office Timeline courtesy of West Chester-Union Township Historical Society
4/1/1824 – Chester PO opens
10/2/1826 – Chester PO renamed West Chester PO
12/21/1843 – Pisgah PO opens
5/11/1850 – Port Union PO opens
12/19/1872 – Gano PO opens
5/19/1874 – Mauds PO opens
12/1/1874 – Gano PO closes
7/15/1889 – Tylersville PO opens
7/16/1890 – Rialto PO opens
10/31/1890 – Rialto PO closes
6/6-7/1893 – Maud PO opens (no longer “Mauds”)
7/31/1900 – Rialto PO closes
7/15/1902 – Tylersville PO closes
7/1/1903 – Casper Bedacht, first mail carrier, makes first delivery
11/15/1905 – Pisgah PO closes
2/28/1910 – Gano PO closes (mail sent to Sharonville)
6/30/1915 – Port Union PO closes
1/31/1958 – Maud PO closes
2/1/1958 – Maud PO opens (rural branch)
10/28/1978 – Maud PO closes
“Foundations” is a series of stories recounting momentous occasions in West Chester, Ohio history. Subscribe to the COMMUNITY REPORT e-newsletter and visit www.WestChesterOH.org/200 to learn more about Township history as we celebrate our 200th birthday bicentennial anniversary.