In the following article, Mr. Knodell  recalls some of the early history of Golden Gate. The article was prepared  on the early occasion of the 50th anniversary of his being Commissioned Golden Gate postmaster, March 3rd,  1913.

My wife and I came to Golden Gate to make our home in the year of 1907.

The little village of Golden Gate, located near the Little Wabash River, was yet young in years but a very  industrious little town.  During the early years of 1900 and for several years prior to 1900 the chief employment  in and around Golden Gate was that of working in the timber, cutting logs and clearing the bottom land for  future use.

The Carey Stave Mill was  located near Golden Gate which converted much of the timber into staves and other  timber products.

There was a hickory factory for quite a while at Golden Gate converting timber into various kinds of timber  products which gave more employment for the working man.

During these early years of 1900 and continued for years was the George Leach Brick and Tile Factory at  Golden Gate which was other means of employment.  In later years the brick and tile factory was purchased by  the late Rolly B.  Hocking who was also a  merchant at Golden Gate during the early years of 1900.  I also had  the pleasure of serving as one of Mr. Hockings clerks along with the late Ira L. Christy, who was a resident of  Golden Gate at that time, but later resided in Fairfield.

During many of these yesterday years the only means of transportation was that of the Southern trains; all mail  and express was conveyed in and out of Golden Gate by the passenger trains with steam power.

The old time dances were still in progress in many of the houses during the building up and expanding of  Golden Gate. During these early years of Golden Gate was the time when the little town received that fictitious  name of "Barefoot" which continued under that name for some years and then forgotten.

While some of the Barefoot folks were called bottom rats during the early years of 1900 and you would see  Dad, Mom and the kids with clothing on in various places of business, quite a contrast today, fifty years hence.

The population of Golden Gate when we came in 1907 were near the 500 mark and today the population has  decreased to around 275 to 300.

During the 1920’s, 1930’s and 1940’s Golden Gate had proven to be one of the best small business places  along the Southern Railway.

 In the early years of 1900 Golden Gate business places were of the following nature and none of them exist at  this time and they were short lived – hardware store, drug store, furniture store, auto sales, undertaking  establishment and lumber yard. There were years when the old passenger and freight trains were all driven by  the old steam locomotive engines.

These years of yesterday were the years when Dad, Mom and the Kiddies would make a run for the railroad  station to see who came to town or left and we would wave bye bye to the train men. It gave them a real thrill.

In 1931 the old gasoline and kerosene lamps were discarded in the Golden Gate business places and also in  the homes. They were replaced with electric lights which lifted the Golden Gate folks out of darkness into the  marvelous light.

My business career in Golden Gate covers a span of fifty years as a clerk in a general store or merchant.  During a period of these years I also served as Postmaster and acting Postmaster of the Golden Gate Post  Office.  On March 3 1913, I received my commission of appointment as Postmaster at the Golden Gate Post  Office. My predecessor was the late Robert D. Murphy, who was merchant and Postmaster at the time in  Golden Gate. Robert D. Murphy was the first Postmaster to be appointed to the golden Gate Post Office after  the site of the post office had moved and designated as the Golden Gate post office by the Government. This  being true my appointment on March 13, 1913, would be the second postmaster appointment to the Golden  Gate Post Office.

The rural carrier at the time of my appointment as acting postmaster at the Golden gate Post Office was John  Hoffee, a well know business man in Fairfield.

Mrs. Ethel Fitch of Golden Gate, served as Postmistress of the Golden gate Post Office for some time prior to  the present postmistress Mrs. Margaret Hicks who has a credit of twenty years service for Uncle Sam.

The present rural mail carrier from the Golden Gate Post Office is Harold Rigg, one whom we call the twofold  veteran of Uncle Sam. Harold, as we all know him best, was in World War I and he is a veteran mail carrier of  nearly forty years service.

Speaking of veterans of various kinds we want to register as a fifty year veteran subscriber of the Wayne  County Press. It would be very hard for us to do without the Press, also WFTW with radio which comes into our  home that we may keep up with the news.

We will close with the sixty-four dollar question, who will be shuffling the mail and licking stamps  at the Golden  Gate Post office fifty years hence not Khrushchev we hope.”