Back in 2004 I discovered a place on the web that was trying to collect a photo of every post office in the U.S. This sounded a lot like Don Quixote’s quest and that made it right up my alley. After 3 months and around 3 dozen photos we dropped the whole thing because none of the photos I submitted were added to The Postal Gallery Database. I guess they lost interest because the last update was in February 2004.1
Then a chance encounter with a PO at the end of 2006 sparked our interest again. Even if it was a lost cause for the Postal Gallery Database folks, it was a perfect excuse for Donna and I to do something together we both like, drive around back roads and take photos. In 2007 we photographed 310 of the 454 South Carolina Post Offices, most of the remaining 100 were done in 2008 with the last few photographed in early 2009.
Jackson to Lynchburg
Jackson - 29831 - Here is another Post Office that is a near duplicate of some others, both Gloverville and Warrenville must have been made from the same plans. Maybe there is a set selection for new Post Offices depending on the total population served or something. (02/29/04)
Jacksonboro - 29452 - When missed this Post Office the last time we were down this way because when we hit US17 we turned right, towards where the Google map showed it to be. After traveling about 5 miles in that direction looking for the address, we knew we somehow missed it. Turns out it was just a quarter mile the other way. (07/06/08)
Jamestown - 29453 - If we were in Virginia this place would be home of the first permanent English settlement in the "New" World. But this is South Carolina and there is no history theme park, but the population here now is remarkably similar to Virgina's Jamestown 401 years ago. (08/31/08)
Jefferson - 29718 - In wanton disregard for the no parking signs. Good thing there wasn't any traffic to speak of on a Sunday afternoon. (03/11/07)
Jenkinsville - 29065 - Like the angle I got with the photo because the building is in a depression off the main road. Love the lettering on the side of the PO because he raised metal letters always leave interesting shadows. (09/09/07)
Joanna - 29351 - Surprised this town still has a Post Office. There were a lot of empty buildings around "downtown." As a matter of fact, this PO was at one end of a strip shopping center and it was the only part of it still in use, the rest were boarded up. (6/17/2007)
Johns Island - 29455 - Very modern looking Post Office in an almost rural setting. (02/06/09)
Johnsonville - 29555 - Last picture of the day as the sun was fading fast. (03/01/08)
Johnston - 29832 - Johnston bills itself as the peach capital of South Carolina and judging by the amount of peach trees we passed in and around town, I think that may be a pretty accurate statement. Did not see the PO on the first pass, but when I made a right turn to double back, Donna saw a sign the said Post Office with an arrow pointing in the direction we were turning. Cool. (03/21/04)
Jonesville - 29353 - Jonesville had a nice big blue and white sign out front, but the trees, sun, and traffic conspired against me getting it and the Post Office in the same frame. (11/02/07)
Kershaw - 29067 - I assume the lock is broken or something else temporary is keeping them from using the mail box on the left or they would have just removed it. Or maybe it is a government requirement to have at least two boxes in front and they don't feel like opening both boxes for what little amount of mail they collect in them. (03/11/07)
Kinards - 29355 - Small town, small Post Office. (6/17/2007)
Kingtree - 29556 - Nice older Post Office in Kingstree where it looks like they added on instead of building a newer larger one on the outskirts of town. (03/01/08)
La France - 29656 - This Post Office looked directly at the back of a very new elementary school that was right across the street. (09/22/07)
Ladson - 29456 - It was still chilly enough that we kept the top up for all this morning's Post Office portraits, but we did get it down for the last half of the trip home. (02/08/09)
Lake City - 29560 - There was a small sign at the entrance to the loop drive out front of this Post Office that read "No Parking, Standing or Stopping Anytime" which as you can see I ignored... (03/01/08)
Lake View - 29563 - Unlike where Donna lived in New Orleans, a subdivision called Lake View, this town with the same name is nowhere near any lake. Matter of fact the ocean is closer to here (45 miles away) than a lake of any substance. (04/19/08)
Lamar - 29069 - People move slow in small town South Carolina. I pulled up behind this one car in front of the Post Office and crossed the street to wait for the occupant(s) to leave. I waited. I waited some more. Finally I just took this picture. As I walked back to the car a person came out and went over towards the blue car, I got the camera ready. He turned around and went back to by a newspaper from a box out front. I gave up. (07/14/07)
Lancaster - 29720 - Pretty big Post Office in a decent sized town. There are only has three other POs in this small county, Kershaw, Heath Springs and Van Wyck. (12/02/07)
Lando - 29724 - The posted hours said this Post Office should be open, but it wasn't. The reversible OPEN/CLOSED sign lying on the ground may have been a clue that the postal employee had to leave for a bit and the sign had just fallen off the door knob. (12/01/07)
Landrum - 29356 - I'm sure there was something remarkable about his Post Office, but I'll be darned if I can remember anything. (09/01/07)
Lane - 29564 - When we arrived there was a car parked just off to the right. Right after I took this photo three vehicles pulled into the spaces between us. As we got ready to leave, two dark green 9 passenger Ford vans with tinted windows and US Government plates pulled in. The first one pulled next to a car and seemed to be asking directions before both sped off. Donna and I figured they were chasing a UFO or a missing nuclear bomb. (03/01/08)
Langley - 29834 - Langley got a new post office sometime in the last couple of years, which is too bad for photographer me, as the older one probably had more character. Good for the customers though, as they have a nice building to come to and really good for the employees, who now have a cleaner, larger, modern place to toil. Your 37¢ at work. (01/24/04)
Latta - 29565 - Turns out today was the day for the annual Latta Spring Festival and they had several blocks of down cordoned off so vendors could pedal trinkets and food. Sure enough, just like Ehrhardt last August, the Post Office was in the middle of the fray, so I utilized the Emperor's Mini-Me. (04/19/08)
Laurens - 29360 - Almost a mirror image of the Honea Path Post Office. (6/17/2007)
Lexington - 29072-2117 - [Pastime CPU] Didn't find this Post Office on our first attempt. I had it's address in the master spreadsheet as 929 N Lake Dr, but when I made the map to find it, I googled, 929 S Lake Dr. That was where we were looking and not finding, just about 2-1/2 miles away from where we should have been. (03/29/07)
Lexington - 29072-2545 - [Downtown] Busy Post Office in a busy part of town. And woe is you if you miss the entrance. It was so bad that it dissuaded us from trying to find the other 3 post offices in town until a later date. (2/24/07)
Lexington - 29073-9537 - [Oak Grove CPU] Why this is called Oak Grove when the CPU is in the Barfield Landscape business is beyond me. Along with the big Post Office sign on the building they have a couple of auxiliary signs out by the street to make sure everyone knows. (03/25/07)
Lexington - 29073-9998 - Another really big Post Office building. Maybe that is why we couldn't find the smaller PO that was supposed to be about 2 miles away on this same road. (03/25/07)
Liberty - 29657 - We found the Post Office easy enough, but didn't find any place in town that struck our fancy for lunch. We ended up about 20 miles away in Anderson. (10/14/07)
Liberty Hill - 29074 - Quaint small Post Office all alone on a two-lane road. The rest of the town had to have been around there somewhere, but we didn't see it. (12/02/07)
Little Mountain - 29075 - No crowds here. Where is here? Right there in small letters under the word Post on the sign is the name of the town, Little Mountain. (02/24/07)
Little River - 29566 - Our timing was impeccable here as there was a car leaving the parking lot as we pulled in and another arrived just as we were leaving. (09/27/08)
Little Rock - 29567 - Started out called Harlleesville after the original settlers in the 1780's, but the name was changed when the Post Office was combined with the new Little Rock one in 1853. Supposedly the rock that is reputed to have inspired the name stands by the side of the main road intersection, but didn't see it. Must have been real little. (04/19/08)
Lobeco - 29940 - This PO is just a bit north of the MCAS in Beaufort and if you are outside and don't realize that fact, you will be startled into dropping your mail in the parking lot when F/A-18 Hornet(s) pass by a hundred feet over your head at several hundred miles an hour. (08/19/07)
Lockhart - 29364 - Another mill town without a mill anymore. Always feels a little weird in this type of town because we are definitely out of place in our little sports car. Plus everybody knows everybody in a small town and nobody knows us. (11/04/07)
Lodge - 29082 - I wonder just how many of the approximately 100 residents of Lodge have even thought of traveling outside of Colleton County, let alone the US? (08/25/07)
Long Creek - 29658 - Like the Tillman Post Office, Long Creek's occupied a building it shared with a convenience store. Unlike Tillman, this store was no longer in business. (09/22/07)
Longs - 29568 - Using our handy book o' county maps we took the long way to Longs. (09/27/08)
Loris - 29569 - We've seen this particular style Post Office building several times before, but never in this orientation to the parking lot. (09/27/08)
Lowndesville - 29659 - Here is probably the second most popular building style for small town Post Offices. Never noticed this one before even though we pass this way several times a year going to and fro from the mountains. I guess because the little country store on the other side of the street is more of an eye magnet. (03/18/07)
Lugoff - 29078 - We like to get out early before the crowds to take the pictures, but when you do that you don't always get the optimal lighting conditions. Here the sun is brightly back lighting the Post Office placing it in deep shadow. Exposing the building correctly washes out the sky. But here, as a happy accident, I captured some funky lens flare which seems to be radiating off the car. (03/11/07)
Luray - 29932 - We are pretty sure it was just a firecracker that made a popping sound from somewhere behind this Post Office, but not wanting to take any chances we got back in the Miata quickly and headed for our next town. (08/18/07)
Lydia - 29079 - The little Post Office in little Lydia was fairly busy this Saturday morning. Finally someone left and I pulled in right in front. I go out and took a couple pictures, but wasn't real happy with all the automotive clutter in front. As I got in the car to leave I snapped this picture through the windshield. (07/14/07)
Lyman - 29365 - The town of Lyman, incorporated in 1954, seems to be, at first, replacing it's small town neighbor Wellford. It has a shiny new post office and is centered on busy US29 between Spartanburg and Greenville, but a little research shows that is in danger of disappearing itself because the mill that created the town shut down a few years ago. (09/03/07)
Lynchburg - 29080 - No, they don't make Jack Daniels here, but I bet some gets consumed here in town. (08/05/07)