Oyster Creek to Get Own ZIP Code
Normally a locality as small as Ocracoke wouldn’t have more than one ZIP code but Oyster Creek’s distance from the heart of the village makes it a prime candidate.
“They are so far away, they deserve a zip of their own” said Ocracoke postmaster Celeste Brooks. “I’m just glad we don’t have to deliver mail out there!” However Ocracoke’s regular UPS driver said she doesn’t mind the trip, noting that, “I drive from Manteo every day so another half mile isn’t that big of a deal.”
Apparently many island residents and visitors don’t even know Oyster Creek exists.
“I saw it on the map,” said one visitor, “but I’ll be darned if I could find it.” His wife nodded in agreement. “We finally turned around. We had to get the golf cart back anyway,” she said.
An island resident commented that she had actually been to Oyster Creek during the island wide yard sale last fall. “I’ve lived here all my life but that was my first time to actually go out there. I’m glad I did; I found some great bargains!” she exclaimed.
One Oyster Creek resident who regularly complains about the distance from her house to the heart of the village said, “I used to walk or ride my bike all the time, but now that I live in Oyster Creek, I just drive my car everywhere.”
Unfortunately for the residents, they’ll still have to travel to the post office to retrieve their mail but having that unique Oyster Creek ZIP code will go a long way to alleviate their sense of isolation and will reassure them that their government does care about them.
“It’s been a long, lonely winter out here,” said another resident. “I can’t wait to see the new ZIP code!”
