[1952-01-18 Topanga Journal:]
“Heavy Rain Storm Brings Two Important Benefits to Canyon”
Wednesday was a historic day in Topanga.
For two reasons.
First, Topangans put in a busy day cleaning up debris left in the wake of one the wettest, if not the heavier rain storms we've had in about in about 15 years.
That is believable.
Second, the Topanga Post Office was moved out of the old farm house wherein it had been seemingly fettered for nigh onto 50 years.
That, no one will believe.
But it's true—so help us.
If you are a skeptic—just hie yourself to the Shopping Center where your unbelieving eyes will see the evidence. (Excuse us a minute while we run down to the Center just to make sure).
Yep, it's there—in the former Variety Store.
So the 10-inch rain brought us the benefits of replenishing underground water reserves and by literally pouring through the Post Office roof, provided the final push needed to get the office moved.
When appraised of the serious situation by Mrs. Jewel Miller, recently appointed acting postmaster, the move was ordered on an emergency basis by Inspector Stapenhorst.
The moving job was done by Lin Trook, rural route delivery man. Chris Miller, Paul Richards, and the post office staff of Mrs. Miller, Ivy Clark, and Helen Zeller.
There is bound to be some confusion in getting the post office set up on an efficient basis in the new location. Inspector Stapenhorst has promised to send out post office boxes and other equipment as quickly as possible to replace fixtures that did not belong to the department and which could not be moved.
So let's all be patient and helpful during the reorganization period necessary for Mrs. Miller and her staff to get the business on an orderly routine.
At best, you may have to wait a minute or two—but you won’t have a stream of water running down your collar when you stoop over to open a mail box.
And you can now sell your water wings and use the money to buy more stamps here so we can build the office up to the point where we can have a real post office building.
[1952-02-01 Topanga Journal:]
“Old Post Office Building Closes Long Career”
After 72 years of service to the Canyon as a farmhouse, store, post office, meeting place and gossip center, the former post office building was being razed this week by Miss Juanita Gay, who inherited the property as one of the heirs of the late Les Leavitt, Topanga pioneer.
The lean-to section, currently occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Puro as a cleaning office and furniture store, will be retained, Miss Gay told the Journal. She also said she had no immediate plans beyond removing the building.
Jack Spidel is doing the work of tearing down the building and Russ Grey is doing the trucking.
