Discover the Quirky Charm of the Smallest Post Office in the US: A Hidden Gem Unveiled!

Tiny things have taken the world by storm. Tiny houses, tiny libraries, and even munchkin kitties! The smaller, the cuter. And, believe it or not, federal buildings aren’t exempt from this rule either because the smallest Post Office in the US is also, most certainly, the cutest post office in the US, too.

Located in Ochopee, Florida, this petite post office is quite literally off the beaten path, tucked away on Tamiami Trail in the Everglades. In fact, it’s right in the middle of Big Cypress National Preserve, a national park that stretches on for miles. While it might be hard to believe the diminutive white building in the middle of nowhere is a functioning facility, it takes care of the mail for over 900 residents scattered throughout this wild corner of Florida.

Neither rain nor snow nor lack of square footage keeps this post office from fulfilling its duties!

More than just a post office, it’s also an incredibly fun hidden gem for visitors to the area! The smallest Post Office in the United States will be the most adorable item on your Everglades bucket list.

The Smallest Post Office in the US (…and the World??)

Teensy tiny and totally cute, this bitty building is only 61.3 square feet! That’s just enough room for the single employee who mans the office six days a week.

While it’s hard to say for certain whether it’s the smallest post office in the entire world, there doesn’t seem to be any obvious competitors. This outpost in Ochopee reigns supreme in a spectacularly small fashion.

But why was it built no bigger than an outhouse? Well, it actually started out as a humble shed made to store irrigation pipes for the J.T. Guant Company tomato farm. However, when the local post office burned down in 1953, the resourceful postmaster comandeered the shed and began using it to store and sort the mail. Rather than rebuild the post office, the repurposed shed became the new permanent fixture.

Today, this story is recounted on a commemorative plaque just outside of the post office, helping to mark it as both a historic site and quirky roadside attraction.

Small Footprint, Big Impact

It might be the smallest post office in Florida, but that doesn’t stop this place from being a big attraction! Donald Walters, a USPS employee at the Ochopee Post Office, said during an interview with Untapped New York, “I see people from all over the world. It seems like the further away people are, the more they know about it…the world kind of comes to me.”¹

In another interview with NBCS 2 News, Walters said, “I see a couple [of] hundred people a day,” and he expressed how interacting with visitors was the best part of his job.² However, not all visitors to the smallest Post Office in the United States are human – anyone who works in the minuscule building must learn how to handle snakes and other critters!

While many people come to the Everglades in search of such wildlife, others journey into the wetlands in search of an elusive stamp. Letters posted here are specially marked with a “Smallest Post Office Building in the U.S.A.” stamp! (Sort of like getting the “Mailed from Main Street” stamp at Disney World’s Magic Kingdom!) Sending an exclusive postcard to yourself and your friends is a great and unique way to commemorate the trip, and taking pictures with the cute little post office is also allowed and welcome. Many folks even pose with the worker on duty. Such a fun snapshot is sure to spark some great comments on Instagram!

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While stopping off at the smallest Post Office in the US won’t take up a lot of time, it’s still a worthwhile detour, especially for folks who appreciate Old Florida and obscure fun. It works especially well as a stop on a Florida road trip, a diversion if you’re staying in nearby Naples, or a sight to see during a hike through Big Cypress National Park.

Have you been to the smallest Post Office in the US? Send us a postcard! (Or just tell us about your experience in the comments below!)

Happy travels!

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Featured photo: Trine Syversten via Flickr