Browns Valley Post Office marks 150 years

The first post office building perished in a devastating blaze.

That 1865 blaze charred more than 30 buildings and nearly ruined the town, according to fourth-generation local Roberta D'Arcy. Her family came to Browns Valley from New York in 1864.

At the time, her descendants ran a place for travelers to stop, feed their horses and rest along the stage route.

Nearly a second blaze

D'Arcy, 72, who was born and raised in the Yuba County foothills town, survived a fire almost a century later. That is thanks, in part, to Hazel Burris, acting postmaster at the time.

Burris, whose family also has a long history in the town, was the phone operator.

At that time, each family on a street had a shared, or party, line. The number of rings determined whose house the call was for.

She made a special emergency call to all homes that consisted of one long ring — a call that alerted all of the neighbors to a blaze at D'Arcy's home.

Burris also yelled "fire" from outside the post office porch.

Within minutes, the entire neighborhood, including workers from a nearby mine, descended upon the 9-year-old D'Arcy's home — and saved it.

"She was the go-to person in town, and she really had her finger on the pulse of the community," said D'Arcy of Burris. And since Burris took over in 1947, every leader at the post office has been a woman.

"Wow, that's a lot of women who have run this post office," said Postmaster Rhonda Flores, after discovering that fact on a website.

Community connections

Since Flores took over, that connection to the community hasn't changed much.

"You get to know your customers on a more personal level, which you can't do at a larger office," said Flores.

Flores, 59, has worked in Browns Valley since 2008 and plans to retire later this year.

"I can't imagine how challenging it must have been to do this job back then," Flores said.

She's worked in Marysville, Olivehurst, North San Juan and likes the rural life.

"It's a small town community, and I love it," added Flores, who also lives in Browns Valley.

Glen Peterson, 67, was picking up his mail Thursday and looked west at the old building, which is now a garden supply store.

"I remember the old post office boxes that you had to use the key and a little old lady working there," said Peterson, who lives between Browns Valley and Loma Rica.

"There's a lot more people up here, but it hasn't changed much. Everybody around here knows each other," Peterson added.

Know & Go

WHAT: A sesquicentennial celebration of the Browns Valley Post Office. The event will include food, a time capsule, music, an art show and sale as well as historical re-enactments.

WHEN: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. May 31.

WHERE: 5534 Marysville Road in Browns Valley.