Renaming Ceremonies Planned For Two Middle Township Post Offices
Middle Township has been officially notified that two post offices within its boundaries will be renamed this Fall. This action comes after years of advocacy by local interest groups and elected officials.
The Rio Grande Post Office, located at 1087 Route 47 South, will be renamed in honor of World War II veteran Carlton H.Hand. Carlton was a US Army Lieutenant and received a Silver Star, Purple Heart, & battlefield commission for his valor andbravery while fighting in Italy. Carlton was a lifelong resident of Rio Grande; he passed away in 1961.
The Whitesboro Post Office, located at 207 West Main Street will be renamed in recognition of Republican Congressman George Henry White. White was the last Black Reconstruction-Era Congressman, representing North Carolina’s Second District between 1897 and 1901. He served in the state’s legislature throughout the 1880s. Following his political career, White and his family moved to New Jersey, where he co-founded Whitesboro as a planned residential community for African Americans.
The effort to rename these USPS locations was led by Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-2nd Dist.) and supported by Middle Township Committee.
“We are very pleased that these years-long efforts to recognize these important, historic figures have been a success,” Mayor Chris Leusner said. “On behalf of Township Committee, I’d like to thank former Mayor Tim Donohue, Congressman Van Drew and the many local organizations that came together to advocate for the renaming of these Post Offices. We look forward to our residents and visitors alike being reminded of the positive contributions to America’s struggles to become a better nation by both Carlton Hand and George H. White.”
The official renaming ceremonies for the two Middle Township facilities are planned for early Fall 2025.
