The United States Post Office at Monmouth Beach (07750) — marking 100 years of service in 2024 — has had three homes in borough history. In April 1924, John A. Wheeler opened the town’s first federal post office at the corner of Beach Road and Riverdale Avenue. The building stands today. 

From 1923 he owned the building which included an adjoining general store-luncheonette (Ernest West was the builder). Postmaster Wheeler, along with his wife Anna, ran the mail show for 28 years until 1952. He died the following year at age 70. A Vermont native, Mr. Wheeler was known for his stern yet principled New England ways.

MBPO

Starting out the town had no letter-carriers; residents came to the post office to collect their mail, making the corner location a gathering spot. A.O. Johnson was famous for “holding court” there during his several terms as borough mayor. Home delivery of mail didn’t begin until March 1965 with the official numbering of borough homes. The borough’s first postmen were Michael Heath and Patrick Germano.

Shortly before his death in 1953, Mr. Wheeler sold the property to local businessman and fellow fireman, Edwin O. Peterson, Sr.; the deal was reached during a card game. Peterson then rented the store to Walter Bloom (the father of longtime Borough Clerk Bonnie Moore). William H. Kittell became borough postmaster in 1954, he was a former letter carrier and a WW III veteran.

Laura “Dolly” Bradley — a grandmother at the time — became town postmaster in February 1956. Appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower and confirmed by the US Senate, she would keep the job (arriving for work shortly before dawn) until retiring in June 1978. Mrs. Bradley was also a community leader — founder of the MB School PTA and charter member of the MB Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary. A terrific athlete too, she starred on the 1927 Asbury Park High School state basketball championship team and was a perennial women’s golf champion at Old Orchard Country Club. A NYC native, she passed away in April 2001. She’s part of a strong family legacy of public service. Her husband, Bill, was a borough clerk and a 24-year  borough school board member. Her son, Bruce, was the borough’s capable public works commissioner for 20 years.

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”
—US Postal Service motto

In October 1962, a new US post office — moved east up Beach Road into a new building — was opened. Triple the size of the original post office, it included room for about 600 mailboxes. Built by Robert Farro of Long Branch, the building was owned by John LoPrete of Monmouth Parkway. It also housed two apartments on top and room from a nearby store.

In August 1964, the Monmouth Beach Deli & Liquors opened in the adjacent Beach Road storefront. Little Silver residents Fred Bruno and Bill Geroni were partners in the deli. They acquired the business from Hansen & Germano, Inc. who had taken over from the Koch family, who had operated a store across the street for many years. William Koch’s Grocery Store stocked meat and dry and canned goods and had the town’s first liquor license. The Brooklyn native and borough fireman died in Feb. 1950.

In October 1985, Jerry Primavera, a leading area builder, and his son Thomas received town approval to build the Village Square at Monmouth Beach — a mini-mall off Beach Road. The projected called for the old post office and deli building to be razed.

The development included a 26,700-square-foot retail and office building and a one-story post office. The construction cost was $3 million and businesses opened in 1987. Although somewhat controversial during its proposal, today the location is a beehive of activity — boasting several businesses and a busy US Post Office.

As of 2023, George Manos is the US Postmaster in the borough.

Old Monmouth Beach Post Office, 1950s.

Old Monmouth Beach Post Office, late 1950s — around the time Salvatore C. Tringola, Sr., acquired the business. The post office moved out in 1962.

Monmouth Beach: Wants Mail. Long Branch Daily Record, December 1923.

First Monmouth Beach Post Office at Riverdale Avenue and Beach Road, 1920s.

MB Post Office and MB Deli building on Beach Road, 1970s.

Old US Post Office in Monmouth Beach, 1930s. John Wheeler was paid $1,700 for his duties as borough postmaster in 1934.

Old borough post office lobby, 1940s.

Old borough post office work area, 1940s.

MBPO, 1950s. Opened by John Wheeler in 1924 who also operated a store at the corner of Beach Road and Rivedale Avenue.

Old borough post office, 1950s.

Monmouth Beach Post Office, early 1940s.

Monmouth Beach Mart and corner store, 1970s — MORE INFO.

Post Office Dedication, Long Branch Daily Record, October 1962. From left: Mayor Sidney Johnson, Congressman James Auchincloss (R-NJ), Postmaster Laura Bradley, Charles Reiss, and Judge Frank Crahay. Mrs. Bradley scored a 94% on her Civil Service examination.

MBPO on Beach Road at dedication, APP Photo, October 1962. Laura Bradley  was postmaster then.

The MB Post Office (l) and MB Deli (r) on Beach Road, 1964.

Borough US Postmaster Laura Bardley sorting mail. APP Photo, November 1975.

Current Monmouth Beach Post Office in Village Square, 2017.

US Post Office at Monmouth Beach, 2018.