Rep. Heck Introduces Bill to Rename Tumwater Post Office for Eva G. Hewitt

Press Release

Today, Congressman Denny Heck (WA-10) introduced a bill to rename the Tumwater Post Office to honor Eva G. Hewitt, who served as Tumwater's first female postmaster from 1915 until her retirement in 1942.

"Eva G. Hewitt contributed to the Tumwater community in so many ways--as a dedicated postmaster, a respected businesswoman, and an authority on the history of the Pacific Northwest," said Congressman Denny Heck (WA-10). "She taught others about the history of the South Sound, and she has earned her place in those same history books. I am grateful for the opportunity to help share her story by introducing this bill to name the Tumwater Post Office for her."

"Renaming the Post Office in honor of Eva G. Hewitt is a fitting tribute to honor the first female postmaster in Tumwater," said Joan Cathey, Mayor Pro Tem. "As an influential leader, Eva served a critical role during the City's formative years. Her hard work and dedicated service to the community are emblematic of Tumwater residents then and now. Our residents value diversity and equity, which is reflected in the renaming of this landmark in honor of Eva Hewitt."

Often described as the "heart and soul of Tumwater," Eva G. Hewitt (1875-1957) played an influential role during a pivotal period of Tumwater history. Eva and her husband established the Hewitt Drug Store, which housed the Tumwater Post Office. Eva G. Hewitt assumed the position of postmaster in 1915, where she oversaw the tremendous growth in mail volumes in the South Sound. Following the death of her husband in 1927, Eva took over business operations with the help of her daughter Laura. She served as owner and postmaster until her retirement in 1942. In addition to serving as the first female postmaster of the Tumwater Post Office, Eva G. Hewitt was also the longest-serving Tumwater postmaster at the time of her retirement.

In her personal life, Hewitt was a community leader who took a keen interest in local history. She was widely regarded as Tumwater's local historian, researching, preserving, and promoting the history of the Pacific Northwest. Eva G. Hewitt passed away in Olympia in 1957, but her legacy as a dedicated postmaster, respected businesswoman, and local historian during the early years of Tumwater lives on.

Heck's bill would designate the United States Postal Service facility located at 200 Israel Road Southeast in Tumwater, Washington as the ""Eva G. Hewitt Post Office.'' The bill would require that any mention in any law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States properly reference the facility and use the new name.

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