Sun is setting on rural post offices

[marmar]

FREEPORT, Kan (Reuters) – Six days a week, the small American flag flutters in the shade of a cottonwood tree outside the post office in Freeport, Kansas, population 5.

The flag, which means the post office is open, may come down for good later this year because Freeport is among about 2,000 postal outlets eyed for closure by the United States Postal Service. The vast majority are in small towns, officials said.

"When you lose a post office, you lose a little history," said Carol Peterson, city treasurer and resident historian in Freeport. "We've been blessed with this post office for 126 years."

But the march of time is catching up with post offices in rural areas, where population declines have cut demand. Only eight people have a postal box in Freeport, another 23 have mail delivered, said Terry Ball, officer in charge. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110528/us_nm/us_postoffice_rural