A Note on Post Offices

It all began a little over three years ago just after I got married. My wife and I were starting to get in the habit of taking a Sunday afternoon drive when I decided that we should have a purpose to our drives. So as we passed through the luxurious digs of Woodruff, Utah in the extreme Northern section of Utah, I pulled to the side of the road in front of an ordinary, albeit, small post office and had my wife take my picture. So began my fascination and dedication to Utah postal history and trivia. I now have nearly 100 such photos of myself in front of and in post offices throughout the State of Utah.

You may wonder why I chose a post office. There is nothing particularly unique or interesting about a post office. Post offices rarely define a community or possess great architectural significance. So, why post offices? Fate, perhaps. Really, I just happened to be passing one when I got the urge to commemorate our drive. It seems to have been a wonderful choice. Nearly every small town has one and, despite what I said above, they do seem to define or, at least, exemplify the community they serve.

My wife and children are usually embarrassed by my post office obsession, and they often duck their heads when I jump out to flash my pearly whites to the camera. That being said, however, I find them trying to spot the post office before I do in every little town we visit. “There it is, right next to the drug store,” they excitedly exclaim before they cower in embarrassment. It may just be a stupid little obsession, but it has become a family tradition that I will always value and treasure.