I like this entry at A Rural Journal (who hosts the Sunday Series 52 photo challenge) - http://www.aruraljournal.com/2011/08/august-break-2011-day-21.html. It asks the question: Will kids in the not-too-distant future look at a mailbox and ask 'what the heck is that'? With USPS being billions of dollars in the red, and people having seemingly little need for traditional mail anymore, it's a reasonable question to ask. You could make a long list of obsolete items (or items heading toward obsolescence), including typewriters, watches, classified adds in newspapers, newspapers themselves, maps, phone books, phone booths... you get the idea (feel free to add to this list!). So I thought about my week 2 photo assignment, and here's what I settled on.
The thrill of in-person mail delivery... if it goes away, it will be missed, and a little piece of who we are as a society is in danger of going away with it.
Stamps... I'm not a collector, but find myself occasionally hanging on to commemorative stamps that I like. Here are a few examples I found in my top desk drawer. I had the privilege of seeing Sonny Terry live once... a treat I will never forget!
Sadly, while 'on assignment', I learned that the main post office in my city will be closing in about a month. It's has beautiful old Spanish architecture, with a large rounded doorway, high ceilings, and red tile roof. However, my favorite thing is a mural on one of the interior walls that you can enjoy while you wait in line. It shows life in old Orange County, CA, with young people picking oranges in a grove. I've lived here long enough to remember all the miles and miles of orange groves. Good luck finding any now!
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| Safe Deposit Boxes... what will we use when these are gone? |
Oh, no! Could it be preserved as a historical site? It's BEAUTIFUL!!! And, think of the history it is preserving....NNNOooooooooo!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI really love this post -- you showed us why the Postal Service is so special to all of us and your commentary is exceptional. Thank you so much for joining in at SS 52. You "get" this photo challenge -- Bravo! :)
ReplyDeleteThings are changing so fast these days and some of it good while others are sad. My hubby & I are striving to get back to the basics of life and we're much happier!
ReplyDeleteI'm sad to hear about your quaint Post Office closing. I hope they will preserve the building.
Great pics!
Wonderful post ...and beautiful homage to the USPS mail. Unfortunately, the extreme debt is forcing the closure of these tiny old post offices around the US. Hopefully, communities will preserve them in some way. I LOVE the vintage mail boxes in your photo! We had ones with combination locks not that long ago.
ReplyDeleteGreat post about mail. Yes, paper is disappearing. Already it's so rare to receive real mail. The mail service is more for bills and ads. Thanks for bringing attention to this.
ReplyDeleteLou
A wonderful post! When I saw your pic of the post office boxes, I immediately thought of one of my pics...which I thought I had posted last year...checking back, I hadn't posted it so I decided to do it...and referenced your blog post! I'm curious...originally a SoCal girl from Glendale...where in Orange County is your city? Do you know if your city has any plans to protect the building?
ReplyDeleteBTW...thanks for stopping by MammothLakesDP!!!
Sadly, mail does appear to be on it's way out...but not quite yet. :) The mail boxes are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteOk,,,,these are really great....
ReplyDeleteFYI:
you are really depressing me!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm coming over for a lesson.
Great pictures,from the new shot on your header all the way down.......
Love the old post office boxes; wonder if they have been operational?
ReplyDeleteFYI. The mural was done during the WPA era; it depicts the history of Orange County. The building already carries historical landmark status because of the mural. Don't know what they will do with the building; perhaps it will become a museum! (The old library became a museum; it is nearby.) There is only street parking to use this post office, and since a big SRO (single residence occupancy) low income housing unit was put in practically next door to it, it is difficult to find parking for this post office.
Loved your post, and your stamps are wonderful! I do think 'real paper' mail is fading away - it can't be helped . . .
ReplyDeleteI saw Sonny Terry once, myself, ages ago!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post, thanks!
what a delightful post! you really got into it. it's a true piece of history. really beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteNice shots ;) I like also the title photo from your blog!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and pictures! Yes, it's thrilling to receive postal mails, and to see all those cute mail boxes.
ReplyDeleteYears ago, I used to say that such mails would "go to extinction soon" because of all these high tech communications that we have now. But it's interesting to note that here, the postmen keep on delivering lots of mails everyday, and mail boxes are always full of letters, newspapers, brochures, etc.
It seems to be such a beatiful building. Pity it is going to be closed.
ReplyDeleteWhat will happen to the building. If the mural is a true fresco, it can be removed and placed elsewhere without damaging it.
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