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Barefoot Mailman (photo courtesy of Virtual Museum of Public Service)
This hike honors the efforts of the 1890s South Florida letter carriers, known as the “Barefoot Mailmen...”
January 30, 2014
Miami, FL - This weekend (January 31 – February 1) approximately 400 Boy Scouts and Scout Leaders will relive part of South Florida history in the Boy Scouts of America - South Florida Council’s 51st Annual Barefoot Mailman Hike. This hike honors the efforts of the 1890s South Florida letter carriers, known as the “Barefoot Mailmen,” who walked and carried mail on a four-day journey from Palm Beach to Miami. In October 1887, Carrier James Hamilton mysteriously disappeared along the journey. It is believed that he lost his life at Hillsboro Inlet, attempting to retrieve a dingy he used to get across the waterway. The annual Barefoot Mailman Hike commemorates these mailmen by completing Hamilton’s final route. The Scouts and their scout leaders will hike the 34 miles, starting Pompano Beach Pier, and ending in South Beach, Miami Beach. Participants will be carrying commemorative letters on their journey. And just like the Barefoot Mailmen, participants will be self-sufficient, carrying all their food, shelter, and items on their backs. On Saturday night, January 31, participants will camp at Haulover Park at the end of their journey. On Sunday, February 1, at 1 p.m., postal officials will affix a “Barefoot Mailman Station” special cancellation postmark to each commemorative letter at Haulover Park. “This is a great event that allows the youth and adults both to learn more about South Florida history, as well as live a portion of it!” said Otto Goedhart, Field Director, Boy Scouts of America South Florida Council. (Both Goedhart and Fred Kimball, 2015 Barefoot Mailman Coordinator, will accompany Scouts on the hike and will be available to media along the route.)
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