Southwest Arkansas and the Ouachita Mountains contain numerous distinctive and unique characteristics. As for the physical environment, for example, there are the dozens of naturally-occurring thermal springs that we call “Hot Springs” today, the mineral-rich  area known as “Magnet Cove,” and even a “Crater of Diamonds” where people can discover their own gems, just to name a few. As for the cultural environment, the region harbors legends such as the “Gurdon Light;” the town of Rockport remains as among the state’s oldest places to still have its original name; and the Smithton community (Clark County) once earned the status of having the world’s largest sawdust pile! However, a lesser-known feature—but equally distinctive—was once located in the town of Manchester. One newspaper called it “undoubtedly the smallest government building in the world.”

At the turn of the twentieth century, the Manchester Post Office was situated about seven miles east of Arkadelphia, along the Ultima Thule, Arkadelphia, and Mississippi Railroad. The Arkadelphia Lumber Company owned the Ultima Thule, which connected its mill at Daleville (just across the Ouachita River from Arkadelphia) with Dalark. The illustration, with a section from a nineteenth-century map, shows the location of Manchester in relation to Arkadelphia and Rockport.

Jeff Mitchell served as the Manchester postmaster at that time. People traveling by train could easily see the very small, unusual-looking building, which sat in an old field in front of the postmaster’s home. The local newspaper described the building as being “a small wooden structure made of 1 x 6 pine lumber and covered with a 1 x 6 plank, and four high.” It was about two and one-half feet wide. The “post office” secured its contents with what the paper called “one of Uncle Sam’s unbreakable locks.” Potential thieves were admonished to “not tamper with it if he knows the consequences of fooling with any of Uncle Sam’s property.”

Passengers on the railroad proved to be curious about the interesting-looking post office while traveling through Manchester and often queried railroad officials about it. Carl McDaniel, conductor of the train, stated that he was frequently asked about it and delighted in informing strangers about its function.