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First Post Office
On March 31, 1846 President James K. Polk appointed James Wilson, Jr. to become the 1st postmaster of Marissa. In 1854 James Wilson left Marissa and the post office was moved to the home of William White.

On Dec. 26, 1854 President Franklin Pierce appointed William White the 2nd postmaster of Marissa. In July of 1857 the post office was moved again to the farm house of Mathew Hamilton.

On July 7, 1857 President James Buchanan appointed Mathew E. Hamilton the 3rd postmaster of Marissa. Its not certain how long the post office remained in his home but sometime later it was moved to the Hamilton and Baumann store. In 1873 the post office was move along with the newly formed Hamilton and Hoese store to Marissa Stations.

On Nov. 13, 1876 President Ulysses S. Grant appointed Daniel Zihlsdorf to be the 4th postmaster of Marissa. The post office remained at Marissa Stations.

On July 30,1885 President Grover Cleveland appointed James J. Johnson the 5th postmaster of Marissa. From this point I will have to do more research on where the post office was located.

On April 9, 1889 President Benjamin Harrison appointed Charles C. Glenn the 6th postmaster of Marissa.

On Feburary 9, 1891 President Benjamin Harrison appointed Hamilton L. Campbell the 7th postmaster of Marissa.

On November 11, 1893 President Grover Cleveland appointed Louis Wolter the 8th postmaster of Marissa.

On December 20, 1897 President William McKinley appointed John W. Church the 9th postmaster of Marissa.

Om March 12,1915 President Woodrow Wilson appointed Louis Wolter for his second time being postmaster of Marissa.

On July 19, 1924 President Calvin Coolidge appointed Robert R. McCreight the 10th postmaster of Marissa.

On November 16, 1933 President Franklin Roosevelt appointed John A. Stodghill the 11th postmaster of Marissa.

On August 27, 1935 President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Harry J. Young the 12th postmaster of Marissa.

On October 30, 1950 President Harry Truman appointed Clarence G. Sinn the 13th postmaster of Marissa.

On March 6, 1954 President Dwight Eienhower appointed Vernon W. Dickey the 14th postermaster of Marissa.

On November 25, 1972 President Richard Nixon appointed Arthur F. Laumbattus the 15th postmaster of Marissa.

On April 28, 1984 President Ronald Reagan appointed Robert D. Farris the 16th postmaster of Marissa.

On Feburary 10, 1990 President George H. W. Bush appointed Geri A. (Eckart) Griffin the 17th postmaster of Marissa.

On Feburary 14, 1998 President Bill Clinton appointed Andrew M. Irvine the 18th postmaster of Marissa.

On November 06, 1999 President Bill Clinton appointed Paula S. (Hinrichs) Lanahan the 19th postmaster of Marissa.

On March 20, 2004 President George W. Bush appointed James William Hettenhausen the 20th postmaster of Marissa.

On June 09, 2007 President George W. Bush appointed Robert A. Burch Jr. the 21st postmaster of Marissa.

On March 13, 2010 President Barack Obama appointed Barri L. Betz the 22nd postmaster of Marissa.

Old Marissa was founded on Dec. 12, 1867. On Jan. 5, 1871 Marissa Stations (New Marissa) was founded by John Carmichael Hamilton and Mathew Elder Hamilton. By 1881 the population of Old Marissa was 60 and Marissa Stations was 300 . It was around this time that the two towns had grown together. With the towns so close to each other a vigorous debate started between the citizens over the saloons. The only way to solve the debate was to incorporate so the citizens of Marissa Stations could pass appropriate ordinances to ban liquor. After two unsuccessful attempts they were finally able to get the votes to incorporate the town. So at the election on May 26, 1882 Marissa Stations was renamed The Village of Marissa.

The first village board consisted of the following men; Dr. W.O. Wilcox, Dr. A.P. Coulter, James I. Johnson, Dan Zilsdorf, E.D. Mclean, and Fred Wagner. Dr. Coulter was the first President of the Board with Editor John W. Wells, Clerk, while James H. Hamilton was appointed Police Magistrate and J.K. Nelson as Village Constable.

Mars Theater
Fingers started out a furniture store and undertaking business in 1891. In 1908 he built the funeral home after selling his furniture business. In 1922 His son Frank became a partner in the business. He continued to manager it until his death in 1968. Jeanette then took over for her late husband until she retired. The movie house was much later. That building was a Livery Stable.

Corner Cafe
"Corner Cafe" this was located across the street from Fruth's Market now,Sonshine Corner. It was attached to Finger Funeral Home...was once the Finger Furniture Store.

Hamilton House
This hotel (The Hamilton House) on the left was 3 stories completed spring of 1873 and set where Regions bank set now. It was destroyed by fire in 1902.

Bank Fire 1911
In 1911 a fire destroyed all but the stone walls of the current regions bank.

1902 Fire
The 1902 fire took out 3 downtown blocks.

Begg's Livery
The current funeral home was Marissa's first barber shop, Begg's Livery Stable,a horse barn, James Cathcart used it as a mule barn , Mars Theater.

Hamilton Store
The Hamilton Store was destroyed by fire in 1906 with only 1 wall standing.

White Lumber
This building which housed the Lyons & White Lumber co. , was built after the 1902 fire which completely destroyed the first shed on this site. Taken over in 1910 bt James F. White and his son Robert H. White, the Lumber Yard has occupied the same site since 1881 and one of the oldest business in town. James and his son went to Sparta an opened a Lumber Yard and Gib White took over his fathers store. It has been passed on to Doug White and his wife Connie. Who operate it today.

Marissa Hotel
The Marissa Hotel also housed a saloon run by Mr. Helbron. When Henry finger ,moved his furniture business to this building in 1898,he removed the third story and altered the appearance somewhat. The present funeral home was added to the west of it, and the building (Corner cafe) was torn down in 1965.

Finger Furniture
Henry Finger Furniture 1898, South Main, first block right side, it was later remodeled and Corner Cafe, Finger Funeral Home was added.

Red and White Store
The Red and White Store, originally where the Cooperative Store and the 5 and 10 Ben Franklin was before it closed, now State Farm and Suzy's Diamonds sets there, notice the ornate poles, next picture they are still there...

Holtz House
Built in 1894 by John Hotz(Bertha's dad) the northeast room was meat market with the remaining rooms living quarters. Mary Werner then bought it, opened Werner's Electric and Norbert Vogel from Mary, Vogel Insurance, Ellen White Gross and her husband opened Gross Electric, lived upstairs after Werners...It is now a bed and breakfast and home bought by new owners I think Wessehrs

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