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Look Inside the Armstrong, Texas Post Office
Armstrong,
Texas by
Phil Lately, TE Postal Correspondent |
Armstrong’s
Postal Strongbox
TE Photo, October 2003 |
Although there isn’t
too much to write home about between Sarita
and Raymondville,
it’s nice to know that if you were traveling that lonesome road and did get an
urge to send a postcard back home – the little blue mailbox at Armstrong is there
for your convenience.
If you need a stamp, however, the tiny facility
(about 60 square feet) has pretty short hours. It usually opens at 9:30 and stays
open for the next 60 minutes. The current Officer-in-Charge (Armstrong doesn’t
rate a fully titled postmaster) is Ms. Longoria who commutes the 20-some miles
daily from her home in Sarita.
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The
Entire Armstrong Post Office
TE Photo, 2003 |
In winter
it’s easy to imagine being inside a windowless weather station, but the cozy interior
of the building has a more familiar appearance. There’s a small wall of brass-doored
boxes, a folded flag and a barred clerk’s window. There’s even the requisite looped-ring
clipboard of most-wanted criminals - just in case they might be attempting to
blend in with the crowds of passers-by and pedestrians of Armstrong.
As of this writing (October 2003) there were 12 box holders at Armstrong – most,
if not all, employees of the Armstrong Ranch. There are also vacant boxes – about
20 of them and the rent is certainly reasonable enough. It’s free.
All
of the questions we could think of – both of them - were efficiently answered
by OIC Longoria, and she good-naturedly allowed that her job was going to last
“until they can find someone else.” |
A
patron’s eye-view of the Armstrong Post Office
TE Photo, 2003 |
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