Norway Township was platted on April 3, 1870 and Mr. J. G. McCathron was appointed the first Postmaster with the post office in his dugout home, a mile north of the present site of Norway Village. He was also first Justice of the Peace, and later named the Norway Village and Norway Township in honor of the ten Norwegian families who were its first settlers. Mr. McCathron kept the mail and Postal supplies in the bottom dresser drawer.
The second Postmaster was Ole Tiller whose homestead was a mile and a quarter southwest of Norway. Being a cabinet maker he built a cabinet for his mail and postal supplies. He received his commission in 1876. One of his daughter's, Inge Carlgren's, most cherished keepsakes is her fathers' postmaster's commission.
T. A. Nelson was the next Postmaster and he was first in the village of Norway which was platted in 1879. Gust Nelson had donated the land for the village and had given T. A. Nelson lot number one and helped him erect a store building where Loren's Hardware and Electric Store now stands. Thus the Post Office came to Norway Village to stay. Jim Beamis had eighty acres of land a quarter of a mile east of Norway. He traded this to T. A. Nelson for his store and Post Office and became the fourth Postmaster. Frank Dickerhoof moved to Norway from his homestead in the fall of 1883. He was appointed Postmaster and served from May 9, 1887 until July 31, 1898. In 1890 he purchased the Nelson-McGowen store building and moved the post Office into his store on Lot number one on the west side of the street.
The office being in his store, it was quite easy to get one's mail, since the place was open long hours every day. He had a $200.00 stamp credit and always kept that amount on hand. Also, he had fifty-seven call mail boxes for which he received ten cts. per box every three months. During the summer months when work days were many hours long, he was often called out of bed at midnight or later to get some one's mail, who was perhaps just getting home from a threshing job of other work, and they often stopped for a chat too, or perhaps for some groceries.
Next came Wm Beatty with the Post Office in his general merchandise store on the east side of the street from 1890 to 1903.
From 1903 until 1913 Owen Brewer was Postmaster with the Post Office in his general merchandise store also on the east side of the street.
Owen Brewer erected a small building on the west side for Ben Bartlett for a store and Post Office. Mr. Bartlett became Postmaster in 1913 and served in that capacity until his death in January of 1922. Mrs. Hattie Bartlett, his widow, was appointed in July of 1922. She had been her husband's clerk and served until Jan. 31, 1940, when she was retired because of age and length of service. She was the first Norway Postmaster to be retired under the new civil service law and receive an annuity. She was seventy-nine years old and had served a total of 27 years in the Norway Post Office.
Madge B. Dickerhoof was appointed on February 1, 1940 an was retired on Jan. 31, 1955 because of age and length of service.
Belva brewer was appointed on February 1, 1955 and is presently serving.
From 1870 until 1880 the mail was brought to the Norway Post Office from Junction City to Ft. Sibley and by way of buckboard over the Fort Riley-Fort Kearney trail. That trail runs through the pasture on the farm of the late J. A. Brewer south of Norway. After the railroad was in operation mail was brought by train until the mail-car was discontinued. Then by private carrier for a while. Later the Rural carrier from Scandia picked up and delivered mail every morning except Sundays and holidays. Emmit Consilman is the rural carrier. This service still continues. Since 1940 the Star carrier from Belleville picks up and delivers mail every afternoon, six days a week and on Sundays and holiday mornings. Ora Bell is the Star Carrier. In 1884 seventy-eight percent of Norway Township families received their mail at the Norway Post Office.
When the Civil War veterans first began receiving their pension checks they came in registered mail and had to be delivered to them regardless of distance.
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