The smallest, freestanding post office in the United States is nestled in the Naples–Marco Island area, just east of US 41 and State Road 29. It’s located in the town of Ochopee, an unincorporated community in Collier County, Florida. Ochopee sits on the edge of the Everglades and reportedly has a population of 11.
The Ochopee Post Office is actually a tiny shed on US 41 (Tamiami Trail) near Ochopee, Florida, 34141-9998. The 7×8-foot building used to be a storage facility for the irrigation pipes of the adjacent J.T. Gaunt Company’s tomato farm. In 1953, it was turned into a post office after a fire destroyed the general store which housed Ochopee’s previous post office.
This post office is still fully functional and the daily route services the residents across three counties, 132 miles long, in addition to the surrounding populations of Miccosukee and Seminole Native Americans. It’s also become quite the tourist spot for both local and long distance travelers! The postal clerk is often asked for the famous Ochopee post mark, and so a stack of Ochopee Post Office postcards are kept on the counter for when the tour busses arrive. Postcards, ready for both domestic and international mailing, are pre-stamped and available for purchase!
So, take some time this summer! On your way to the beach, stop by to visit the folks at the Ochopee P.O. Maybe you’ll see the skunk-ape while you’re there!
For more information, see: http://www.florida-everglades.com/postoffice.htm
