Buncom is located about 12 miles W of Ashland at the junction of Sterling Creek and the Little Applegate River. In 1853, Samuel Phillps established mining claims and farms and in 1867 the Buncom Mining District was formally organized. Finally in 1896, Jacob Parks (first postmaster) and Henry Ankeny filed for a post office because nearby Sterling and Uniontown post offices were discontinued. The post office was established where the road to Sterling Creek intersected Little Applegate Road. The mail route went from Jacksonville south to Watkins via Sterling Creek and Big Applegate Roads stopping at Buncom on Tuesday and Thursday. A. E. Ingles was appointed postmaster on Jan. 25, 1917, with his mother driving the route by horse and buggy. But like other old Applegate mining camps Buncom's population waned and rural delivery won out.
Where did they go? Following the mail trail of the DPOs of Jackson County, Oregon (SHS 979.5281 S93 2013)
Buncom 1, 1896
Buncom 2, 1896 diagram
Buncom 3, 1896 diagram
Buncom 4, 1896 diagram