Living In A Post Office

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MICHELE NORRIS, Host:

Today, the U.S. Postal Service released a list of more than 3,000 post offices it's considering closing. They're in almost every state - from Supai, Arizona; to Grassy Creek, North Carolina; to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe said the move was brought on by changing customer needs.

PATRICK DONAHOE: As the volume continues to drop off, and especially profitable volume like first-class mail, we have to do things differently.

NORRIS: Postmaster General Donahoe pointed out that many people already satisfy their postal needs at places like grocery stores, office supply stores and self-service kiosks.

Well, today's news got us thinking, what might become of all those post office buildings that will end up vacant? And that question led us to Sarah Belhasen. She's a family physician in Paintsville, Kentucky, and she joins us now.

Welcome to the program.

DONAHOE: Hello.

NORRIS: Now, we called on you because you actually live in an old post office building there in Paintsville. Tell us about how the post office wound up becoming your home. Was this a post office that you used to visit a lot?

BELHASEN: Yes. Yes, this was my childhood post office growing up. I would visit there with my mother on a pretty regular basis. And we would buy stamps and mail letters, and just generally visit with other people in the town and the neighborhood, and catch up. And one day I was - after having grown up and gone to medical school and moved back home - I was in search of a home.

And I was driving down the street, and there was a for-sale sign out in front of my post office. So I had to - I couldn't resist - I had to call the number and inquire.

NORRIS: Now, we should say that your post office-turned-residence was featured in the magazine "This Old House" a few years ago. And I've had a chance to look at the pictures, and all I can say is: Wow.

BELHASEN: Oh, thank you.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

NORRIS: Tell us about some of the discoveries that you made when you started the renovation.

BELHASEN: Well, I did a lot of the early demolition, clearing out - just on my own, just me by myself, going over there after office hours. And that was the kind of, you know, my time to get to know the building, and I made a lot of discoveries then. I found a rebate check that had fallen down in between two counters, from Del Monte Pineapple, addressed to someone here in town for, I think, 45 cents.

Another interesting thing was a postcard; it was from the late 1950s. And it was actually a card that you could fill out and notify your family members where you were after a nuclear blast. That was kind of during the period when we were in the Cold War, and it was a means for people to let other people know they were safe after a nuclear bomb had been dropped.

NORRIS: Did you find any wanted posters?

BELHASEN: We did have some wanted posters, yes. And I actually have John Dillinger's wanted poster.

NORRIS: My goodness.

BELHASEN: And some farsighted postmaster decided to keep that, I'd say. But it ended up with me.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

NORRIS: This post office is - it's in a coal-mining town, right?

BELHASEN: Yes. Yes.

NORRIS: And it's right there on the main strip. So this would've been the center of activity.

BELHASEN: It's so interesting on so many levels because at the time that this building was built - the cornerstone was laid in 1931. Herbert Hoover was the president; you know, we were in the grips of the Great Depression. And here's his huge, grand, brick and marble building with marble bathrooms, Kohler fixtures, and a marble shower for its employees.

I mean, it's kind of something out of - taken out of time because, you know, this building was built in our town at a time when most people didn't have running water. And then to see this marble and the terra-cotta tile, and it just all - you know, it's kind of amazing, when you think about it.

NORRIS: It must've been a real point of pride for the people of Paintsville.

BELHASEN: I'm sure. Yes. Yes, I'm sure it was.

NORRIS: Well, thank you very much, Dr. Belhasen. It's been great talking to you. Thank you very much for your time

BELHASEN: You're very welcome.

NORRIS: That's Sarah Belhasen. She's a family physician and collector of Americana. She spoke to us from her office in Paintsville, Kentucky.

ROBERT SIEGEL, Host:

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