Community works to save Penland Post Office
Madison Smith
MNJ Intern
The Penland Post Office and General Store is undergoing a remarkable transformation, led by the resilience of a community-driven initiative. As Mitchell County’s oldest active post office, a small group of dedicated locals fought to preserve this important piece of history and created the Penland Post Office Project.
Louisa Penland and her husband, Colonel Isaac Bailey, inherited the land from Milton Penland, the namesake of the community, in 1902. With this land, they created a landmark that has lasted over a hundred years. The Penland-Bailey family has since donated the land and the building to the non-profit project. Thanks to the dedication of the board, the Penland Post Office was listed on the National Register of Historical Places on April 16, 2012.
The building that now houses the Post Office has lived many lives since its inception in 1902. Originally, the building was home to the Bailey Lumber Company offices but is fondly remembered by the community from its time as a general store.
“I remember when I was a kid and there was a general store here where I could buy penny candy. They had a pot-bellied stove in the middle there, which someone ended up stealing. I have really great memories of coming here to visit my grandmother and aunts.” Said Alicia Swaringen, a member of the board. The Post Office has occupied the building since 1934.
Swaringen and her mother, Marcia Anne Bailey, were pivotal figures in fighting for the post office’s restoration. The small, 12-person board has faced a plethora of challenges, including the unfortunate loss of Marcia Anne Bailey in 2023.
“We’ve hit obstacle after obstacle.” Swaringen said. “We’re all volunteers on the board. Some who come and go. Some have died, moved, or ran out of energy. We now have a small but effective board.”
The Post Office Project started raising money through fundraising, grants, and donations. The non-profit hired Buck Pollard to head the reconstruction. His first major task was repairing the foundation, which had been set on rotting chestnut wood that was over a hundred years old. The north wall was over 24 inches lower than the middle of the floor.
The project has made a large effort to keep the original feel of the space, as well as preserve as many of the original elements of the building as they can. Original wall boards were moved into a small room in what they hope to be a museum in the general store side of the building. They have also reused original windows and cabinets in the central room, dating to almost a century ago. Resoundingly, most of the floor is also original. The most impressive of the historical features is the original set of post boxes in the post office section of the building from the 1870s.
The non-profit has also faced many challenges with the project. Several trees have fallen on the building, halting progress and causing frustration for the volunteers. Some of the biggest obstacles they’ve faced have been monetary and issues with obtaining permits. The Penland Post Office Project funds itself through auctions, grants, and private donations.
“Fundraising for a rural, historical project has always been a challenge for any group. We’ve had to jump through hoops to get many of the permits. As a historical building, there are certain things we’ve had to do, and other things we planned and couldn’t do,” said Swaringen.
While the project is far from finished, the resilience of their board members and volunteers shines through. When the project is finished, they hope to encourage the arts with readings, talks, and small plays. Their goal is for it to be a community center as well as a store-type space. The group has a Facebook page, Instagram, and newsletter, and takes donations any time from their website.