When the United States Postal Service released a list of the more than 3,600 post offices that they’re considering closing, the citizens of Hye noticed that theirs was on the chopping block–and they sprang into action.

The post office stakeholders gathered to see if the residents wanted to “save our post office or roll over and let it die,” said Dan Garrison, who is interim president of the Hye Preservation Society and owner of Garrison Brothers Distillery. Six people registered to attend the meeting but more than 30 showed up.

Petitions were distributed to the local feed store, liquor store, and antique store in Hye and to the Albert Ice House. Nine days later, Garrison reported, they had more than 500 signatures calling for the United States Postal Service to keep the Hye office open.

This is in a town with a reported population of 105.

Now that the society has been given the green light, they are working on strategic efforts to influence the Postal Regulatory Commission to cancel their plans, Garrison said.

A town hall meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 8, at 6:30pm in the barrel barn at Garrison Brothers Distillery, located at 1827 Hye Albert Road. The meeting is Hye’s one chance to speak to representatives from the Postal Service.

“Save the Historic Hye Post Office” petitions will be gathered and presented to the USPS representatives at the meeting.

The Hye post office was first established in 1886 and moved to its current location on US 290

The Hye Preservation Society can be reached at PO Drawer 292, Hye, Texas 78635 or on Facebook (search for Hye Preservation Society).

The local rural communities of Doss and Willow City are also on the post office closure list.

Correction: The mention of the Postal Regulation Commission was changed to United States Postal Service.