Orval and Gerta Palmer plan to retire at the end of December from operating the Alton Post Office in their home after 46 and a half years.Alton, Utah, date TBA | Photo by Cynthia Palmer of St. George News
ST. George — For a Kane County couple, running a post office from their balcony for 46 and a half years has been both challenging and rewarding. Orval and Gerta Laurie Palmer will retire from operating the Alton, Utah, post office at the end of December.
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High snowdrifts and large deer populations are some of the obstacles Palmers faced in operating the service from his rural home. Alton is located in the mountains approximately 7000 feet above sea level. Gerta Palmer said 8 feet of snow fell in 2022.
“We’re in the mountains, we’re in deer, deer are all over the place, so it can be difficult to travel,” Mrs. Palmer told the St. George News.
Palmer said she is grateful that the main roads have been cleared of snow because she has raised her six children there. They took a bus to school 29 miles away. Her children grew up and all but one moved to different parts of the country.
She added that she now has an outside cat “to keep the rats away.”
When the Palmers purchased the house, it had already housed a post office for 25 years. So the couple decided to keep it going. They retained the original porch room as a post office.
“The mail is delivered in a big box outside and we bring it in, sort it and put it in the mailbox,” Palmer said.
The Palmers’ favorite part of the job is visiting residents when they pick up their mail. We also appreciate that our neighbors come over in the winter and clear the sidewalks so people can go to the post office. Her husband, Orval, added that he really enjoyed helping people get their mail over the years. Orval also served as the town mayor.
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“Operating a post office allows us to get to know and recognize our community,” Palmer said. “Old people have died and the town itself has changed. But the older ones have grandchildren and they are here. Some have moved away, but most remain with their original families. ”
Alton Mayor Justin Cox said the community appreciates the couple’s consistent service. His grandfather, Allen Cox, was a former postmaster.
“When Mr. Orval and Mr. Gerta took over, the Postal Service actually cut salaries and offered no benefits,” Cox said. “So the Palmers are getting paid, but not as much as they should be. They have served the community for many years.”
Cox added that the Palmers are a unique couple. Orval grew up in Orton. Gata was from Oakley, Idaho.
“Orval was just a cowboy. He grew up working cattle and riding horses. So he would ride his horse to the hatch, check on the cattle, and then ride back the next day. I helped with the mail,” Cox said.
When the couple first took over the postal service on July 10, 1976, the post office was open from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., Palmer said, adding that the Postal Service later cut hours and wages. Ta. However, with the advent of digital standards, more work has been given to them, she added.
Over the years, she has seen the volume of letters dwindle.
“A lot has changed,” she said. “When we first started working in the postal service, we received a lot of letters. Then the Internet came along and things changed, and over time, gradually packages were used instead of letters. Ta.”
The couple will retire at the end of the year and say they won’t be able to see town residents regularly.
“This is going to require a big adjustment,” Palmer said. “I think that’s going to be a little difficult.”
Cox said the town will be able to rent the “main room” in town hall, located in a former church building, to anyone who signs a new contract with the Postal Service. Residents will have access to their mailbox during city construction hours, and post office service may run for two hours per weekday.
by WebsiteAlton was settled in 1857 by Lorenzo Roundy and his first wife Susannah Wallace. In the 1930s, Alton’s population reached its peak of 350 people and is now home to about 140 people.
Starting in 1904, Alton’s postmasters included Nellie Hoyt Roberton, Ethyl Rowdy, Charlotte “Lottie” Hoyt, Allen Cox, Orval and Gaata Palmer.
Photo gallery
![IMG_2072](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2072-1024x768.jpg)
Orval and Gerta Palmer plan to retire at the end of December from operating the Alton Post Office in their home after 46 and a half years.Alton, Utah, date TBA | Photo by Cynthia Palmer of St. George News
![IMG_2078](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2078-1024x768.jpg)
Entrance to the Alton Post Office, operated by Orval and Gertha Palmer for 46 1/2 years on the side of the Palmer House, Alton, Utah, undated | Photo by Cynthia Palmer of St. George News
![Alton post office with cat IMG_2074](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Alton-post-office-with-cat-IMG_2074-1024x764.jpg)
The Palmer House has been the Alton Post Office for 46 and a half years, operated by Orval and Gerta Palmer of Alton, Utah. Date not specified.Photo by Cynthia Palmer of St. George News.
![mailboxes IMG_2075](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/mailboxes-IMG_2075-1002x1024.jpg)
Alton Post Office mailbox in the Palmer mansion operated by Orval and Gerta Palmer for 46 1/2 years, Alton, Utah, undated | Photo by Cynthia Palmer of St. George News
![Palmer with packages](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Palmer-with-packages-950x1024.jpg)
Orval and Gerta Palmer plan to retire at the end of December from operating the Alton Post Office in their home after 46 and a half years.Alton, Utah, date TBA | Photo by Cynthia Palmer of St. George News
![IMG_2063](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IMG_2063-917x1024.jpg)
Orval and Gerta Palmer plan to retire at the end of December from operating the Alton Post Office in their home after 46 and a half years.Alton, Utah, date TBA | Photo by Cynthia Palmer of St. George News
![UBDK4948](https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/UBDK4948.jpg)
Entrance to the Alton Post Office, operated by Orval and Gertha Palmer for 46 1/2 years on the side of the Palmer House, Alton, Utah, undated | Photo by Cynthia Palmer of St. George News
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