Goodbye, State University Station Post Office
After approximately 60 years in operation, the U.S. Post Office across the street from the state’s largest university is winding down operations. At the end of 2010, the doors will be shut for good.
Although post offices have been shuttered across the country in recent years, this closure seems odd, given its location (corner of Horne and Hillsborough Streets). It’s the only post office in close walking distance to NC State, which itself has the population of a small city: 30,000. I suppose students and nearby residents aren’t sending enough packages to make up for the decline in handwritten letters and cards.
The oldest PO Box holder (in terms of box age, not the holder’s age) dates back to 1954. It’s kind of sad that someone who has checked the same mailbox for so long can no longer do so, due to circumstances beyond their control.
The post office dates back to at least 1950. The previous location of the West Raleigh post office was on Post Office Street, now named Enterprise Street.
This Post Office didn’t get much business in recent years, as evidenced by a sole postal worker at the station and reduced operating hours. In contrast, the one in Cameron Village is always busy. Whatever the cause of disparity, I’m sad to see it go. In recent months I was in here a couple times a week shipping out City-Blox orders, and enjoyed the convenience and small-town feel of this local post office.
The station in Cameron Village isn’t that far, but it just doesn’t feel the same as State University Station.
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS feed
Subscribe to posts by Email
Sign up for the Newsletter
12/29/2010
I’m gonna miss this place. Whenever I went there it always made me think of Eudora Welty’s comic narrative “Why I Live at the P.O.” Almost expected to see ‘Sister’ in the back room doing the ironing and Pappa-Daddy lurking about. Never did have such a connection with the hustle and bustle at the Cam Vill station. Sure am gonna miss this place.
12/29/2010
For such a non-descript, prison-esque exterior, the boxes are really ornate and beautiful. I wonder what happens to them?
12/30/2010
Another Raleigh treasure disappearing. I bought many a stamp and sent many an item, including applications to grad schools, from here when I was at State.
Anyone remember what, at one time, was the smallest P.O. in operation in the country? It sat right by the railroad tracks out in the Millbrook area and couldn’t have been much larger than 10 x 10. It ceased operations long before the widening of Millbrook Road caused the demolition of the building. I remember stopping by after school in the early ’70s and buying plate-blocks for my stamp collection from the postmaster, Mr. Dickerson.
12/30/2010
You can find ANYTHING on the internet. Actually, it was larger than 10 x 10, but not much.
http://www.legeros.com/ralwake/photos/weblog/pivot/entry.php?id=2460
01/02/2011
Yup. As a “resident” since 1975 that old post office has been the cornerstone of my life in the “village” of Hillsborough St.
When I first set up camp it literally had the look and feel of something right out of the 1940’s and 50’s.
It featured probably the only (or one of the few) revolving doors in Raleigh.
Underneath all that institutional paint and paneling is some fine vintage stained woodwork and trim.
I forget exactly when they “modernized” with additional boxes and relocated the counter service to the left of the entry way, painted everything green with matched paneling and replaced the revolving door with a short lived stab at energy efficiency which featured a type of airlock arrangement with two sets of glass doors enclosed in a glass box to keep heat and cooling costs down.
It was NOT an improvement by any standard.
The door business was a short lived experiment which changed(again!) to the current single french door arrangement a few years later.
They have been trying to close that Station since the 1980’s but some old time professors at NC State and a fellow by the name of Otis Jones would raise holy heck everytime the topic arose.
Those guys are all gone now and I believe the University has their own mail processing center to replace the trucks that formerly drove over from campus once or sometimes twice a day.
Service had high spots and low spots over the years.
One real high spot was a young lass who would put up mail on Sunday on her own time to “get a jump on the Monday mail trucks”
If she was working and you had a package pickup, you could holler over the wall and she would come out from the behind the locked door to give it to you even though it was not *Official Business Hours*.
Some of the low points were funny and sometimes not so funny.
Back when you could buy mail order computer programs on 5.25 diskettes a $125.00 piece of software arrived folded in half to fit
my tiny box.
Needless to say, hilarity ensued with that little fandango.
To be fair, no one behind the counter knew what a computer really was or did in those days, so my little Apple IIc had to suffer without programming for several weeks.
About two years ago I suspect we were deliberately assigned an “axeman”– a Temporary Postmaster who just raised holy heck with the customers and boxholders.
Signs went up about improper cell phone use, a red line appeared on the floor behind which everyone was instructed to stand until called to be served, and most obnoxious, a vinyl notice on the door which outlined the penalties for armed robbery of a postal installation.
In 35 years I can not remember a single instance where I thought someone was about to go “postal” until that Postmaster and sign appeared.
It might have been common in other parts of the country, but not on Horne St.
In little over six months traffic at that location crashed and nearly halted completely.
I suspect that particular Postmaster has gone on to a bigger and better job at the Transportation Security Agency.
Meanwhile the traffic statistics justified a cutback in hours which further diminished patronage so lo and behold the “little Post Office that could” was finally doomed.
In any case, I am now one of a small group of refugees forcefully relocated to Cameron Village en bloc-our address intact complete with our own zip code.
I suggested to the current Postmaster there should be a closing ceremony complete with speeches and a brass band.
He is a nice guy but he did not seem to understand my meaning or the reason I thought it would be appropriate.
Y’all come visit me at my new digs in Cameron Village, ya hear?
TJ Kattermann
01/03/2011
@TJ– I’ve been a patron of ‘College Station’ since 1969 — and I’d forgot all about the revolving door! Thanks for jogging my memory! I do remember the beautiful (unpainted) paneling — And the exterior was unpainted brick, too. I have never understood why anybody would paint a brick house– duh?? And I remember before the counter was put in too. There used to be a simple service window in the main lobby. Funny how some things just stick with ya! A closing ceremony would have been nice, and I would have been there with my kazoo in tow. But I think I’ll probably avoid the Cam Vill Station like the plague.
01/03/2011
Any idea what is going to happen to the building? Is it going to be available for lease?
01/03/2011
Wow, that’s too bad…mailed many a parcel from that post office in my years living near and working on campus. Another bit of Hillsborough St. History gone.
01/03/2011
@@@@Raleigh Boy:
It amazes me after 35 years how many people I know by sight and association but with whom I have exchanged little more than the occasional greeting or pleasantry over time.
I learned today another regular has had a box since 1963.
The people I did know I met in other venues only to discover they had their address at the Horne St. PO.
Now that the stalwarts have been filtered from the transients we should form a “27650” club and set up a website.
The other notion I have had:while the Government might not be interested in that space, it surprises me a private mailbox/package service is not be interested in using the storefront as a combination historic artifact and real world service center.
Thanks to John Morris for his photograph of one panel from the lobby. My Box is included.
Regards,
TJ Kattermann
02/01/2011
I recognize those p.o. boxes as being identical to the boxes inside the post office in my hometown, Lewisburg, PA (which is also home to a federal courthouse and has what has got to be the heaviest ornate metal entry doors I’ve ever seen [or pushed]). Wonder what happened to them?
02/06/2014
COMING March 2014 ~ The spot for this historic postal service on Horne Street will be the home of “Groucho’s Deli of Raleigh”. We hope everyone will come check us out. We look forward to serving you.
02/09/2014
It’s so good to hear that this old, memorable post office (eventhebuilding) won’t be torn down, but will be put to good use. I look forward to coming and eating at your new restaurant
10/06/2020
Looks like a lovely space!
Ebert- Do you need a painter?
12/20/2023
JAMES ROBERT WILSON
POST OFFICE BOX 35
TOPTON NC 28781-00035
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AUGUST 16, 1981, BELIEVING THIS MY COMMON LAW 18TH BIRTHDAY, WALKED FROM 125-D BRAGAW TO APPEAR, PROVIDE PROOF OF A FAKE ADOPTION COURTESY OF THE PRE1966 NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR
COURT AND COMPLIED WITH LAW, MILITARY SELECTIVE SERVICE ACT, NOW, ACCORDING TO SSS.GOV, ACKNOWLEDGED №63-0890643-4 REASSIGNED FOR NATIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE OPERATION OF LAW WITH U.S.ARMY, TRADOC, FT. EEUSTIS, COMMONWEALTH STATE OF VIRGINIA BY SELF CONTINGENCY Construction Errors and Omissions Investigation, OPERATION HELLBENDER, A CIVILIAN SPECIAL CORPS, SOLE PLENIPOTENTIARY OF RESPONSIBLE CHARGE, PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER JAMES R. WILSON, №16887, JUNE 1990, and NC STATE CIVIL ENGINEER, DECEMBER 1986, JAMES ROBERT WILSON, IN STYLE BE IT KNOWN TO ALL, JAMIE WILSON,P.E. and HIMSELF, IN OBLIGATION OF Domestic DEFENSE OF THE CONSTITUTION FOR THE United States of America, the STYLE of:The United States
This day, Wednesday, December 20, 2023 bear witness, POST IN PUBLIC TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, AND CAUTION!!! TO ALL CIVILIANS, IMMEDIATELY ACCESS SSS.GOV AND ACT ACCORDINGLY TO SECURE THE PUBLIC FISC, SOCIAL SECURITY, AND RESTORE THE EXECUTIVE COMMANDER IN CHIEF, UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES, GOOD FAITH AND CREDIT “POWER OF THE PURSE” UNTO CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND ACKNOWLEDGE BY UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE, U.S. MAIL, FIRST CLASS POSTAGE, YOUR LEGAL IDENTITY AND YOU OBLIGATION TO LAW, THE UNITED STATES CODE, OR RISK A FATE AS. DID THIS BASTARD BELLIGERENT OF APPALACHIA WHO HAS SPENT 20 YEARS IN PRISON OF International DETAINMENT, GUILTY IN APPEARANCE OF TREASONOUS ACTS AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION BY SELF ADMITTED IGNORANCE. SSS.GOV NOW GOD DAMNIT!! THIS IS YOUR SON, YOUR GRANDSON, YOUR BROTHER, YOURSELF, AS THEY HAVE IMPOUNDED THE PUBLIC FISC, DIVERTED THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTO BANKRUPTCY, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND OR YOU MAY, WITH YOUR COMPLIANCE TO LAW, IMMEDIATELY CONTACT YOUR UNITED STATES COMPTROLLER GENERAL , CITE CONTROL № COMP-23-000241, BY EMAIL : fraud@gao.gov
LAW,
12/20/2023
Appeared and Registered in compliance of LAW, United States Code, Military SELECTIVE Service Act №63-0890643-4, FROM this U.S.P.S. faculty, 16AUG1981, WHICH FAILED TO PROMPTLY PROCESS FOR DELIVERY, NEVER RECEIVED LETTER OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND RECENTLY ENGAGED SSS.GOV TO DISCOVER, NOT ONLY AN ORGANIZED CRIMINAL INTENT (RICO) BUT NOW FIND NCDMV CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT IN FAILURE TO IDENTITY NORTH CAROLINA’S TAKING WITHOUT AUTHORITY, CONSENT OR NOTICE, EVERY PERSON’S ID FOR COMMERCIAL DISTRIBUTION BY A “SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM”?
MOST LIKELY, THE TOBACCO SETTLEMENT MADE BY AG Mike Easley, sold everyone to HUMAN RESEARCH COMMODITIES.
IF YOU CARRY A NC DRIVERS LICENSE OR PHOTO ID BY NCDOT/NCDMV, YOU ARE A “SSS.GOV” PROPERTY.
SEE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKLEY FOR A VERY GOOD, BUT CERY UNCONSTITUTIONAL HUMAN (TRAFFICKING) SUBJECT RESEARCH OPERATION.
QUICKLY, IF YOU FIND INTEREST IN THE FULL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE OF THESE “SYSTEMS”, I AM HOLDING IN ARREARS, $154 MILLION SUPERFUND/STIMULUS BONDS AS A QUEBECOISÉ INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, JANOD, LTD, QUEBEC PROVINCE CONTRACTS…I NEED A FRENCH LANGUAGE LAWYER TO RESPECT QUEBEC LANGUAGE LAW, …DETAILS BY WRITING TO:
JAMES ROBERT WILSON
POST OFFICE BOX 35
TOPTON NC 28781-0035
MUST BE ADDRESSED EXACTLY AS OFFERED HERE, OR IT WILL NOT BE AS LEGALLY IN CONTRACT RENTAL WITH SIGNATURE CASH RECEIPT, POSTMARKED TOPTON USPS 29 FEB 2020.
NC GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROMULGATED 28TH&29TH IS ONE BUSINESS DAY.
SERIOUSLY, SHORT NOTICE TO MEET NEXT POLITICAL DISCRETION CALL OF NC ON 29 FEB 2024!!!!.
NC STATE CLASS OF 1986 (DECEMBER) CIVIL ENGINEER, JAMES ROBERT WILSON.
GO PACK!
GO TO HELL YOU POLITIC AND COPORATE BODY BULLSHITS.
jwilson@ncdot.gov