For Robert Hammerslag; et al :

Regarding Plattsburgh only:
In 1797, the first post office was established here and given the name
taken from the official designation of the town as adopted by the State
Legislature.  By 1815, the area surrounding the Cumberland Bay had become
heavily populated.  Because of the protection of the bay and its location
at the mouth of the Saranac River, shops and mills were being extablished,
docks had been built, and the area had become a major port of trade on Lake
Champlain.  There was a need for a more local government, close to the
thriving port, and on March 3, 1815, the  Village of Plattsburgh was
incorporated within the boundaries of the Town of Plattsburgh.  Note that
the spelling of both names was identical.

In 1859, the Village was re-organized, again under the name of the Village
of Plattsburgh; In 1902, the Village, seeing more advantages under the laws
of the State for its citizens, was re-organized as the City of Plattsburgh.


Close to the end of 1950, the editor of the New York State Legislative
Manual, seeking to simplity the organization of that year's manual,
requested a listing of the state post offices from the U. S. Postal
Service.  Upon review of the listing, the difference in spelling was noted;
the City was contacted and an investigation begun by postal authorities.

U. S. Postal records show that the name of our post office's designation
was changed to "PLATTSBURG", without the H, in 1894.  During the period
1892-1894, the federal Post Office Department was growing at a rapid pace.
The Postmaster General issued an order establishing guidelines for post
office names for NEW post offices.   The order was misunderstood by local
postal officials who caused the name of the village post office to be
thereafter known as PLATTSBURG, without the H.  As a result of the 1951
investigation, the name of the city post office was changed back to
PLATTSBURGH, with the H.  At no time was the name of the CITY ever changed.

Hope this sheds some light on the situation; if only for the
Plattsburg/Plattsburgh

Keith A. Herkalo,
City Clerk
City of Plattsburgh