Deer Harbor has had a post office since 1893
The US Postal Service, in an effort to cut expenses has been closing rural post offices across the US. For many small communities, like Deer Harbor, Washington, the post office is the heart of the community. So when the USPS placed the Deer Harbor post office on the closure list, the citizens of Deer Harbor got organized.
The History
In September 2008, word circulated that the landowner of the post office property in Deer Harbor, Wyndham Worldwide, had decided not to renew the lease with the US Postal Service. Postal Officials in both the Seattle and Denver offices explained that there was no money to acquire and retrofit a new property, so the Deer Harbor post office would be closed. However, when questioned, the USPS indicated that if the community found a property, and paid for its renovation, they might reconsider.
In April 2009 the committee invited two representatives of the US Postal Service to Deer Harbor to inspect four properties the committee had found. All four were rejected as unsuitable. The committee had repeatedly asked the USPS for property specifications, but they were never given any.
The Community Moves to Buy the Post Office Property
Discouraged, the community began to feel the decision to close the post office was final, and that the USPS would simply reject any property offered until time ran out. The only property known to meet the mysterious USPS specifications was the current post office. In desperation, in mid May 2009, the committee approached Wyndham Worldwide with an offer to purchase the post office property. To everyone’s surprise and relief, Wyndham was interested, and the sale price set at $250,000.
The USPS agreed that if the community could raise the purchase price, by June 26, 2009, little more than one month away, they would enter into a ten-year lease with the new owners—the Deer Harbor Community Club--and keep the post office opened.
Fund Raising in Full Swing
Over Memorial Day weekend the committee launched a major fundraising effort. To date, a little over $100,000 has been raised, and the committee is very optimistic they will be able to raise the remaining $150,000 through donations and loan commitments before the closing date that has now been extended to July 8th, 2009.
Anyone wishing to donate to the post office campaign can mail a tax deductible donation to the Deer Harbor Community Club, Post Office Purchase Fund, at PO box 57, Deer Harbor, WA 98243.
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