U.S. Post Office The first record of the location of the U.S. Post Office in Camden, Arkansas indicates that it was in a small building on the corner of Washington and Madison Streets during the tenure of Judge Wm. F. Avera. Later, the Post Office was moved to the rear of the building that was until recently occupied by the Usrey Drug Store on the southeast corner of Washington and Adams Streets.  A. A. tufts operated a bank in the front of the building.  J. C. Russell, Sr. served as postmaster at that location from 1888 until 1892 under President Benjamin Harrison. With the election of Grover Cleveland as President in 1892, Hugh Pickett was named postmaster in Camden.  During this period, postmasters were appointed for four-year terms, and a newly appointed postmaster was privileged to appoint clerks to work with him during his tenure.  Pickett employed his son, Will and Miss Ola Pryor as clerks.  The younger Pickett worked from 4:00 a. m. until time to go to school for the sum of 10 cents per day.   Miss Pryor, as money-order clerk, was paid $50.00 per month. As Camden grew into a stable community, the U. S. Treasury Department decided there was a need for a permanent combination Federal Building and Post Office in Camden.  Bids were taken and on November 27, 1894, Mr. W. R. Harbeck from Ft. Worth, Texas was awarded the contract.  He was the low bidder with a bid of $17, 237. On February 21, 1895, ground was broken for the new building.  Mr. Harbeck contracted to finish the building in four months (120 days), with a completion date set for June 5, 1895.  However, Mr. Harbeck ran into numerous problems and on November 26, 1895 (five months past the completion deadline), the Treasury Department took over the completion of the construction. The building was completed on March 31, 1896 at a cost of $39,014 on a site purchased for $4,137.  The new facility housed both the post office and the Federal Land Office until the Land Office was closed.  This building was expanded on two occasions.  In 1925 a one-story brick addition was made to the rear of the building and in 1945 a "temporary" addition, the white frame section, was  attached to the building. The stone and pressed brick building was called the "finest building between Little Rock and Texarkana" at its dedication. In 1963 the Camden Post Office moved to its fourth location, all of which were on Washington Street, and each being one or more blocks west of the previous location.  Records indicate that Washington Street has always been the location of the local Post Office.