Lost place names: Kalf-Zaandam

Near Zaandam lies a residential area formed from the hamlet of 'Het Kalf'. This residential area is now called Zaandam-Noord. The hamlet was situated between the water, the Braak, and the current A7 motorway. It borders the Jagersveld nature and recreation area, which features many walking paths and water. In August 1917, the hamlet received an auxiliary post office: Announcement No. 5784s of August 8, 1917: Effective August 16, 1917, an auxiliary post office is being established at Het Kalf (near Zaandam), for which the post office in Zaandam will serve as the main office. In 1925, the auxiliary post, telegraph, and telephone office at Het Kalf was closed and replaced by a post, telegraph, and telephone station: Announcements No. 2074S of February 17, 1926: the auxiliary post, telegraph, and telephone office at Het Kalf has been replaced, effective December 21, 1925, by a station for the three services with telegram delivery. Mail delivery is handled from Zaandam. The stamps had to be returned to the Central Directorate of the PTT and were stored there. However, the station manager received his office name stamp back in June 1927 and his date stamp on April 24, 1928. The impression on the stamp card of the post station shows the last day the stamp was in use: December 20, 1925. The post station was closed on July 15, 1947. The stamps were returned and destroyed on July 19, 1947. Het Kalf was without a post office, and for postal matters, one had to go to Zaandam or another place. Nevertheless, apparently there was a need for a postal branch again after nearly 30 years, because on January 1, 1976, a subsidiary post office in the form of a 'forward-moving counter' was opened. It is not a real post office, as an employee from the Zaandam post office came to Het Kalf with all his equipment to serve the customers. It was a temporary measure. This employee was provided with a name stamp and a date stamp, now bearing the name Zaandam-Kalf. This temporary subsidiary post office was replaced by a city post agency on July 14, 1978.

Notices No. 28 of July 11, 1978: Offices, Establishment, etc. On July 14, 1978, the temporary Zaandam-Kalf branch post office was closed, coinciding with the establishment of the Zaandam-Drielse Wetering city post agency, which would fall under the jurisdiction of the Zaandam post office for postal services. The name of the hamlet Het Kalf has disappeared, but the street name Kalf still exists, as does the name ´t Kalf used for Zaandam-Noord.