Everglades Post Office is smallest in U,S.
Not far from Joanie'a Blue Crab Shack (see my last blog), there sits a tiny building, which--it turns out--is the smallest post office in the United States.
The full description and history of the building is written on a nearby plaque:
The building was formerly an irrigation pipe shed belonging to J.T. Gaunt tomato farm. It was hurriedly pressed into service by postmaster Sydney Brown, after a disastrous night fire 1953 burned Ochopee, Florida's general store and post office. The present structure has been in continuous use ever since--as both a post office and a ticket station for Trailways bus lines--and still serves residents in a 3-county area, including delivery to Seminole and Miccosukee Indians living in the region. Daily business often includes requests from tourists and stamp collectors the world over for the famed Ochopee post mark. The property was acquired by the Wooten family in 1992.
There are several Indian villages along Highway 41 near the post office, and I was amazed to see buildings with unique thatched roofs. The villages appear to be surrounded by wooden privacy fences, but it would seem that they also serve to keep the alligators out.
Nearby Highway 75 is known as "Alligator Alley," but we saw several in the ditches along 41.
It is absolutely fascinating country!
Comments
- -- Posted by ksteinhoff on Tue, Feb 22, 2011, at 9:31 PM
- -- Posted by goat lady on Wed, Feb 23, 2011, at 7:57 PM
Respond to this blog
Posting a comment requires free registration:
- If you already have an account, follow this link to login
- Otherwise, follow this link to register