The Smallest Post Office in the US
The smallest post office in the United States is the Ochopee Post Office. The post office is a small, tiny structure. At a glance, one cannot imagine that such a small structure could make a functional post office. It is so small that it can only hold an employee at a time. Due to its small size, many people tend to assume that the post office is not functional. However, the Ochopee Post Office is fully functional. In fact, it serves its neighboring population as efficiently as other regular post offices in the United States. The post of the local clerk is often the most recognizable post in Ochopee.
Location of the Ochopee Post Office
The Ochopee Post Office is located on US Route 41 near Ochopee in Florida. The post office is approximately 5 kilometers east of the point of intersection of the US 41 and the State Road 29. It serves people leaving in approximately a 130 miles radius, mostly the Miccosukee and the Seminole tribes. Interestingly, the Ochopee Post office has been serving the region for several years and there have been no efforts to construct a bigger post office. Some individuals are infuriated by the small post office while some are content with it.
Description of the Ochopee Post Office
The dimension of the Ochopee Post office is 7x8 feet. Due to the small dimensions, the post office has been described as a closet. The mail slots of this post office are located on the back wall of the building. The small structure only has a single fluorescent tube, which is used to illuminate the poorly ventilated and lighted room. The counters are cramped. It has a pair of sliding screen doors. Outside the post office is a small parking space that can accommodate a few cars.
The Previous Purpose of the Building
The Ochopee Post Office building was initially a storage room for the irrigation facilities such as pipes. The pipes were used in a nearby tomato plantation. It served the purpose up to 1953 when it was converted to a post office. The previous post office that served the region that is currently served by the Ochopee Post Office was located in the Gaunt Company Store. The Ochopee Post Office was designated the new function after the previous post office in Ochopee was destroyed by a fire outbreak.
People’s View on the Ochopee Post Office
Some people dislike the fact that the small office has been serving the population for ages. In fact, they wish that a new, larger structure could be put up. However, another group of people finds the post office so intriguing. It attracts a number of people who stop by for a quick visit. The communities living around it are content with it though. One would ask whether the employees of the office are happy to work in the conditions. The employees in the post office have been found to love their jobs. In fact, one of the employees, Shannon Michael, who works as a clerk says she has the coolest job in the world.
