Postcard Addressed to '[On Top Of A Big] Hill' Delivered

AP/Yahoo ^ | 1/26/04

[martin_fierro]

Postcard Addressed to 'Hill' Delivered

ELKINS, W.Va. - Nothing stops the U.S. Postal Service from making its appointed rounds, not even a postcard addressed simply as "On Top of a Big Hill."

The postcard was mailed by a bookstore in Bridgeport to Helen English of Elkins, notifying her that a book she had ordered had arrived. It was addressed, "Mrs. English, On Top of a Big Hill, Elkins, W.Va. 26241."

English had mentioned to the bookstore clerk that she lived on a hill. She said the bookstore apparently did not have her address, so the clerk improvised.

"That little mail carrier, who else would do such things in the dead of winter?" English said. "They deserve a pat on the back, especially in this weather. It wouldn't happen anywhere else."

Elkins Postmaster Francis Scott said Carmen Tankersley, a rural route carrier since 1987 who serves 550 families, delivered the postcard.

"She's an outstanding carrier. Carmen's always done a good job and takes care of her customers," Scott said.

"If we get a name, we can find it if it's an old-time resident," Scott said. "If they're lifelong residents, someone in the building knows them. All of our carriers are from Randolph County or Barbour County and they know most of the people around here."

English said she started to throw the postcard away, but then, "I looked at it and said 'Gee, whiz.' I thought it was so funny. In the cold months of winter, we need a good laugh."

[martin_fierro]

Hillbilly PING

[mountaineer]

I have family in Elkins! In fact, my uncle's dad used to be one of those rural mail carriers who knew where everyone lived, way back when. It's a nice little town - great story.

[JoJo Gunn]

Some people don't realize that we didn't always have zip codes (not until '63?). This kind of stuff likely went on a lot way back when.