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More History of Marco Island

• History in Motion: August 29, 2008
• 30 years ago today: August 27, 2008
• 20 questions: Take the Naples history quiz

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Fast facts

Islander Dick Bergmann has accumulated a fascinating collection of postmarks for the island, and there’s a little mystery about one of them. It was called Malco Island, and this persisted until 1891. Dick has copies of very old maps showing a “Malco Inlet” where the present-day Marco Inlet is located, and perhaps this was the cause of the error. We have scanned Dick’s collection into a computer for a future exhibit in our museum.

Don Olsen, a friend of Dick Bergmann’s, recently passed away, leaving a valuable and interesting collection of old Florida stamps. Shortly before his death, he won a national prize for this. Dick, along with David and Anna Fieselman, all MIHS members, obtained a portion of the stamps for our society from a Naples dealer. We owe them all a big vote of thanks.

Some local history: A post office was opened in Marco village in 1888 under the direction of W. D. Collier, son of the first settler here. He was followed by Edwin V. Stephen 1902, James Jacobs 1904, Francis E. Henderson in 1907, Charles E. Parrish 1908, Mary E. Collier 1908, Henry L. Boughton 1919, Mark D. Barthelson 1920 and James C. Rye 1921.

In Caxambas, Tommie C. Barfield served from 1917, Bruce Storter 1923, Julia C. Story 1924 until the name changed to Collier City in 1927. Tommie Barfield served again from 1927 to 1932, Elva L. Barfield took over in 1932, Jane L. Burdick 1937, Arthur P. Kirk, Jr. 1939, George B. Patrick 1940, Ida Bowers 1941 and Cora E. Leo 1941.

Goodland Postmasters included Katherine (Kappy) Kirk from 1950-1984, Acting Postmaster James Derringer in 1984, OIC Patty Wiedman 1985 followed by Tommie Dee Moss who retired a few years ago.

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Marion Nicolay and Betsy Perdichizzi of the Marco Island Historical Society are compiling this report on a weekly basis for the Eagle. Shirley Beckwith oversees the archiving of photos for MIHS.