“If the gable end of old Hell would blow out, it wouldn’t melt the snow in six months!” …exclaimed a frustrated and tired U.S. mail contractor who was late with his deliveries during the hard winter of 1879. His was the disagreeable job of hauling mail on horseback 120 miles north to Rock Springs, Wyoming, over rugged and wind-whipped mountains, through the worst winter in Uinta Basin history.

In the winter of 1877, Alfred Harvey Westover made the trip to Rock Springs on snowshoes with sacks of letters, for which he was paid 25 cents per letter. Even though snow-blinded during one storm, he still persevered.

The Vernal Post Office was established June 10, 1886, and was moved in 1920 to the white sandstone corner building directly across from you. For 66 years it served as the U.S. Post Office and, notably, was the only federal building authorized for an inland town in the United States, and the first ever constructed off a railroad line.

This is #3 of the 21 stop history walking tour in downtown Vernal, Utah. See the other stops on this page:

• Vernal’s Walking History Tour

This marker is located across the street from and talking about the building at  92 West Main Street in Vernal, Utah.