Road Trip 2012, Chapter 4: Before and After, Part II

Howdy, folks. Joining you from the Dallas / Fort Worth Metroplex in Texas! It's been a while since my last entry, but I thought I'd continue with the theme of showing you some former, early 20th-century post offices along with their current counterparts. Here's the first part of this series in case you missed it.

Murfreesboro, TN post office


I wasn't able to get any information from any local clerks or police offices about where the invariable former post office might be, but the design of what was now the arts center screamed "old post office":


The cornerstone with "Secretary of the Treasury" confirmed this 1909 masterpiece as a P.O. I went inside and the folks allowed me to photograph. Here's the lobby:


When the post office moved out, the building became the town's main library. The children's reading room was in the basement, which I'm sure spooked them a bit. Now it's used as prop and other storage for the arts center. So ladies and gentlemen, something you've always wanted to see -- the basement of an old post office!


No one could figure out what the ladder leading to the basement from the Postmaster's office was for. Any ideas?


The 1913 former site of the Lebanon, Tennessee post office is now a county building:


The newer Lebanon post office is less glamorous.


They even have a carrier annex now:


Dickson, Tennessee has a 1936 facility that's no longer in use. (I'm not sure what its present purpose is, actually.)


Here's the more modern, early-'90s edition Dickson post office:


Pocahontas, Arkansas's old [1936] post office is now the local newspaper, the Star Herald:


Here's the interior:



The newer Pocahontas post office is more on the outskirts of town.


Until next time..!

Road Trip 2012: Chapter 2; I-81

The Travelodge in Chambersburg, PA hosted my first evening of my trip. It was rather uneventful, though I enjoyed the breakfast voucher for the diner next door. My initial intent was to spend the night in Winchester, VA, but so long as I ended up in Roanoke that evening I'd be happy.

Now, onto post offices:
Heading to the post office in Falling Waters, WV, a former site -- now an ice cream shop -- made itself immediately apparent. Not many dairy stores possess a flagpole, have a rear loading dock, and make extensive efforts to abide by the ADA:


Here's the present site:


From Falling Waters I'd visited every post office south for 50 miles, and I eventually found myself along Route 11 paralleling I-81 and Shenandoah National Park. Here's a map of some locations featured:


The post office in Woodstock is still at its historic 1933 location. It featured beautiful roof tiling and pinkish-hued brick grout.

Woodstock, VA post office:




A detour to the western mountains lead to Bayse and Orkney Springs. The former location has one of the longest handicapped ramps I've seen.

Bayse, VA post office


A couple of miles down the road, Orkney Springs was on the RAOI 'Hit List' and is slated to become a two-hour office. The Postmaster was really friendly and introduced me to the town. It hosts The Virginia House (Shrine Mont), at which all the bigwigs stayed in the early 20th century.

Orkney Springs, VA post office


The post office used to be located in this house:


This is the old resort, a recognized National Historic location:


Next up was Fulks Run, near a formation known as Chimney Rock (not the Chimney Rock in North Carolina!). The PO in Criders was on the Hit List last year so I drove the 15-or-so miles one way and back, through Bergton -- rather small itself -- to find it.

Bergton, VA post office:


Criders, VA post office


The old collection box at Criders is the oldest I've ever seen. Peering under the bottom you can see that it was manufactured in 1924. It was forged in Danville, PA.


Two offices later was post office #3,500: Timberville, VA.



Another photogenic office was Lacey Spring, VA:


Woodrum Station in downtown Staunton, VA, is a New Deal post office from 1935. The site has been renovated and the post office operates only the right half of the first floor; the New Deal sculpture is outside the door.



Night two was spent in Salem, VA, outside Roanoke.

On the Road: Going Postal 2012, Day I

Howdy, folks! Evan here in western North Carolina, where the hills are smoky and the folks are really friendly. I've been on the road since last Sunday and have already visited 153 post offices, large and small. This trip will take me all around the country and I'm excited to show you what I've seen! Especially with my brand new 30x-optical zoom, 18-megapixel, high dynamic range-enabled Sony camera.

(No, the trip is not just about post offices. It's about experiencing America -- ballparks, cities, national parks, farmlands, and good local food. That said, since the rate of post office suspensions will only continue to accelerate courtesy POSt"Plan", post offices still need to be documented and Postmaster stories collected.)

Where to begin? Well, the first office on the trip was the... err... illustrious Dover, NJ Carrier Annex off I-80:


When I was in middle school my family took a trip to Chicago, and one of our first stops was the post office in Buttzville, NJ and a great place called Hot Dog Johnny's. The post office was located in a former gas station, and has since been suspended. I recognized the site this time around:

Former site: Buttzville, NJ post office:


Check out Hot Dog Johnny's. Fresh fries, great shakes. It was completely packed.



Beautiful post office of Sunday: Phillipsburg, NJ, built 1933. Amazing brickwork. Check it out:


In Allentown/Bethlehem, PA, I found both the current and former site of the Lehigh Valley post office and P&DC:


The former site is now known as the Airport Branch or Airport Annex of Bethlehem:


After that, a torrential downpour took out most of the potential postal photography time, as these clouds foreshadow:


And that's just day 1! There's plenty more for the next installment of GP 2012.