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Superior Post Office turns 50 years old this year. Mila Besich-Lira | Sun
Superior Post Office was dedicated in 1965.
Copper Area News
On Oct. 28, 2015, the Superior Post Office building turned 50 years old. The post office used to be across the alley from the bank on Main Street before moving to its present location in 1965. The Superior Post Office moved to its present location at the same time they started mail delivery for customers. The first letter carrier was Carlos “Charlie” Casillas. When he started, Louis Acosta was the Postmaster. Louis was a miner and he later resigned to go back to work for Magma.
Charlie then worked for Gladys Walker. Charlie said that back then, the Postmaster job was a political appointment position. Charlie helped Gladys run the office as the Assistant Postmaster. Not everyone in Superior wanted mail delivery and many continued to pick up their mail at the post office.
“It was rough in the beginning because it was something brand new,” said Charlie.
The routes had to be laid out. He remembered one street was unmarked and only had two houses on it. They called it Un-named Street and later just UN Street. Charlie said that later on, Pat Contreras petitioned the Town of Superior for a name change and it is now known as Contreras Street.
“I got to know all the people and the dogs (on the route),” said Charlie.
One little girl used to draw pictures and put them in the mail box. There was a nice lady that would leave him a pitcher of cold water. Charlie remembered Beto Cervantes’ grandfather, Rafael. Rafael was blind and used to live in a tiny house. He always left the door open. Rafael would hear him coming and ask him in Spanish, “Is it you Carlitos?” He would then tell him to come in. It was against postal regulations for a mailman to enter a home, but Charlie made an exception for Mr. Cervantes.
An opening for a Postal Inspector position came up. Charlie applied and was accepted. He traveled to Washington, D.C. for three months of training. He was then assigned to an office in San Diego. He would later work in Long Beach (California), Los Angeles, El Paso and San Antonio. He was involved in many interesting investigations including a mail bombing suspect in Denver and the murder of a letter carrier in San Antonio.
During the Vietnam War, some soldiers were mailing drugs to the United States, mostly hashish. He worked undercover in Los Angeles to catch a clerk that was selling marijuana. Charlie also served President of the Federal Criminal Investigators Association of El Paso.
Charlie Casillas was born and raised in Superior. As a kid he used to sell the Superior Sun. He graduated from Superior High School in 1959. He worked for Leo’s Grocery and later for Foxworth Galbraith Lumber Yard. His experience delivering groceries and lumber supplies for those local businesses helped him learn the town’s streets when he became the mail delivery man. He remembered training Florence Aldrete on the delivery routes when she was a part time letter carrier.
Charlie met his wife, the former Jessie Sandoval of Ray-Sonora, while playing guitar in a rock and roll band called the Rivals. The band was playing a dance in Sonora. They got married in Kearny and had the reception at Los Reyes Club. They now live in San Antonio; have two sons, a daughter and two granddaughters. Charlie’s sister Rosie Young still lives in Superior so Charlie and the family come to visit.
John Hernandez lives in Oracle. He is retired and enjoys writing and traveling. He is active in the Oracle Historical Society. He covers numerous public events, researches historical features and writes business/artist profiles.
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