Post Office Blues

Pedernales River on the way to Round Mountain.

At the first of this month (June), I noticed we were sharing our Post Office with the city just down the road (Blanco).  Didn’t think much of it. Thought there must have been an emergency and they needed help. But yesterday, they were still there and I asked why. The clerk said they lost their lease. That surprised me, because it didn’t seem like that was something that would sneak up on you.

My reply to the clerk was something along the lines of, “It was terminated without notice?” She paused for a second and told me they had two years. That put everything in a new light. Think about that. The US Postal Service knew for two years it would need a new Post Office in Blanco, Texas by June of 2026, and couldn’t get it done. If I was still a reporter I’d have quotes from the Post Office, the local US rep, and maybe a senator as to why and how this happened. And I’d verify they really had two years notice.

But I’m not and I don’t really feel like hearing all the excuses and listening to the finger-pointing, and there’s a high probability the clerk knew what she was talking about. So, here we are and this is what I know. A tiny Texas town with a population of about 2000 people no longer has a Post Office, one they’ve had since 1858. I hope they get it back, but they’re not really big enough to make enough of a stink to get powerful people to look at them. So, I expect the wheels will grind slowly, and the truth will reveal itself in time.