Vicki Hicks installed as Carrier Mills postmaster

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Carrier Mills has a new postmaster.

Vicki Hicks, who has been officer-in-charge for two or three months at the Carrier Mills post office, was officially installed as postmaster Friday. She succeeds Jesse Raymer, who recently transferred to Simpson.

Hicks began her career in 1988 as a part-time clerk in Ridgway and Eldorado. She was promoted to postmaster of Eddyville in 2005. In 2007, she was named postmaster at Ozark. She also has served as officer-in-charge at Junction and Equality.

"Along the way, she has picked up a lot of experience and knowledge," Larry J. Lankheit, manager of postal operations for the Gateway District, said.

As Hicks took her oath of office, Lankheit pointed out postmasters take the same oath of office as presidents. She is the 182nd postmaster sworn in by Lankheit, he said.

The Carrier Mills post office began in 1873 and was known as the Carrier's Mills Post Office at that time, Lankheit said. There also was a post office in South America, north of Carrier Mills, during the 19th Century. That post office still existed in 1884, along with 12 others listed on the Illinois Trails History and Genealogy Web site (with spellings as listed): Carrier's Mills, El Dorado, Gallatia, Hall Town, Harrisburgh, Long Branch, Mitchellsville, Raleigh, Rileyville, Stone Fort, Texas City and West End. The Web site noted money orders could be purchased in Harrisburgh and El Dorado.

The list originally was printed in Chas. O. Ebel and Co's Terre Haute Directory and Vigo County Gazetter, according to the Web site.

Andersonville also had a post office at some point in the 19th Century. Andersonville was located near the Carrier Mills reservoir - the post office was in Anderson store located near the present site of the water treatment plant.