Dumb Question

**Beachbummett** · 02-24-2007, 09:51 AM

I know, I know...some people say there are no dumb questions but...

Last Friday I went to our new post office in Watersound to get my little P. O. Box, number and key. I was given a our new number and key and our wonderful postal worker Kitty gives me a card with my new address and I was surprised to see my address is not Santa Rosa Beach... it is actually Watersound, Fl with a new zip code and everything!

The new address is P. O. Box XXXXXX Watersound, Fl 32461...but it gets more confusing....my physical address (which is back behind the new gates at the main building) is our lot # (she says we lucked up on this one) and street name...Watersound, Fl 32413! It has a different zip code! WTF?!!!

How'd we get two zip codes?! Or another zip code at all.

Does anyone know how this works? I know that Seaside, Seagrove and everywhere else is actually Santa Rosa Beach, Fl.

Enquiring minds want to know...btw our postal lady could not explain it either! I know one of our lovely SoWal ladies husband is with the USPS...maybe she can explain.

**30A Skunkape** · 02-24-2007, 10:13 AM

Don't think too hard or you might go postal

**Mermaid** · 02-24-2007, 10:15 AM

BB, WaterSound must have two zip codes from what I can see. (I know that Seaside has its own zip code.) Since zip codes go by location, and your PO box and your house are obviously in two different locations, then it goes to follow that it is possible to have two different zip codes. It's unusual, given how small WaterSound is, but certainly not impossible. Our post office building here in Indianapolis has a different zip code than our street address even though they're only 13 blocks apart. The same must be true of your situation.

**Miss Kitty** · 02-24-2007, 10:22 AM

I had to read that twice...postal worker Kitty????

**Smiling JOe** · 02-24-2007, 10:49 AM

The mailing address for that end of 30A are a Panama City Beach zip code, even though it isn't even in Bay County. Very confusing to most people. Also screws up real estate searches by zipcodes. Anywho, these community Post Office Branches, like Alys Beach, WaterColor, Seaside, and WaterSound, illiminate that Panama City Beach address, by creating their own zip codes and town names. Sounds much more prestigeous to people paying big bucks for real estate in that area.

"Hey, Betty, just send that package to me at the beach...555 SuperNice Way, Panama City Beach, FL..."

"

Panama City Beach? I thought you lived in WaterSound.

" Do you really live in WaterSound or Panama City Beach -- that Spring Break Capital of the Panhandle?"

******************

Make sense now?

**30A Skunkape** · 02-24-2007, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by Smiling JOe

The mailing address for that end of 30A are a Panama City Beach zip code, even though it isn't even in Bay County. Very confusing to most people. Also screws up real estate searches by zipcodes. Anywho, these community Post Office Branches, like Alys Beach, WaterColor, Seaside, and WaterSound, illiminate that Panama City Beach address, by creating their own zip codes and town names. Sounds much more prestigeous to people paying big bucks for real estate in that area.

"Hey, Betty, just send that package to me at the beach...555 SuperNice Way, Panama City Beach, FL..."

"

Panama City Beach? I thought you lived in WaterSound.

" Do you really live in WaterSound or Panama City Beach -- that Spring Break Capital of the Panhandle?"

******************

Make sense now?

I knew SJ would have some insight.

**ItzKatzTime** · 02-24-2007, 10:59 AM

When I get confused I eat something sweet....makes me feel better!

**Beachbummett** · 02-24-2007, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Mermaid

BB, WaterSound must have two zip codes from what I can see. (I know that Seaside has its own zip code.) Since zip codes go by location, and your PO box and your house are obviously in two different locations, then it goes to follow that it is possible to have two different zip codes. It's unusual, given how small WaterSound is, but certainly not impossible. Our post office building here in Indianapolis has a different zip code than our street address even though they're only 13 blocks apart. The same must be true of your situation.

I used to have a P. O. Box at Seaside and the zip code was still the same as Santa Rosa Beach 32459

Originally Posted by Smiling JOe

The mailing address for that end of 30A are a Panama City Beach zip code, even though it isn't even in Bay County. Very confusing to most people. Also screws up real estate searches by zipcodes. Anywho, these community Post Office Branches, like Alys Beach, WaterColor, Seaside, and WaterSound, illiminate that Panama City Beach address, by creating their own zip codes and town names. Sounds much more prestigeous to people paying big bucks for real estate in that area.

"Hey, Betty, just send that package to me at the beach...555 SuperNice Way, Panama City Beach, FL..."

"

Panama City Beach? I thought you lived in WaterSound.

" Do you really live in WaterSound or Panama City Beach -- that Spring Break Capital of the Panhandle?"

******************

Make sense now?

I know I have done some loans for folks in Seacrest and all of that end of 30-A was a Panama City address. Was very confusing.

I know Rosemary Beach has there own name and zip code...I have friends that live there and has had for a long time.

I guess my question is...how does this get set up? Does someone go the USPS and say "Hey, I want my own zip code and the name my town address" Who does this? Did Rosemary Beach, Watersound/St. Joe go to the USPS and request this?

Nope...still does not make sense? Speak slow...I am naturally blonde!

**Smiling JOe** · 02-24-2007, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Beachbummett

I guess my question is...how does this get set up? Does someone go the USPS and say "Hey, I want my own zip code and the name my town address" Who does this? Did Rosemary Beach, Watersound/St. Joe go to the USPS and request this?

Nope...still does not make sense? Speak slow...I am naturally blonde!

You did a marvelous job of answering your own questions. Yes and yes, but the zip code is only for the Post Office Boxes, as I understand it, not the physical address.

**Teresa** · 02-24-2007, 12:37 PM

BB: it's nothing new but confusing at first. Rosemary beach Post office has its own zip - 32461. it looks like Watersound's new PO must be using the same. of course, this is for PO Box addresses only.

the zip 32413 applies to the physical location of properties on that end of 30A.

in watersound, you'll probably only use a PO Box address for mail purposes, other than UPS/Fedex deliveries to the house.

**audie** · 02-24-2007, 12:57 PM

i think i would be too dumb to ever live down there..... i have only had 3 addresses in my whole life, and one was when i live at home and we were changed from rural route 1 to rural route 6 box 365.....

**Smiling JOe** · 02-24-2007, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by audie

i think i would be too dumb to ever live down there..... i have only had 3 addresses in my whole life, and one was when i live at home and we were changed from rural route 1 to rural route 6 box 365.....

You would do fine. My postal carrier still delivers mail to me which is addressed to another address where I haven't lived for over two years. They are pretty good, but I have occasionally been ready to throw out crap magazines, only to find a bill or two stuck in the middle of them.

**30A Skunkape** · 02-24-2007, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by audie

i think i would be too dumb to ever live down there..... i have only had 3 addresses in my whole life, and one was when i live at home and we were changed from rural route 1 to rural route 6 box 365.....

Wow, it must be nice to be so settled. I am working on #6 in the last 4 years

**audie** · 02-24-2007, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by 30A Skunkape

Wow, it must be nice to be so settled. I am working on #6 in the last 4 years

i am a creature of habit i guess. plus there ain't no way i would even attemp to move all this sh!t we have accumulated.....

add that to the fact that i am down to under $50k on the house, and i ain't going nowhere....

**Smiling JOe** · 02-24-2007, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by audie

i am a creature of habit i guess. plus there ain't no way i would even attemp to move all this sh!t we have accumulated.....

add that to the fact that i am down to under $50k on the house, and i ain't going nowhere....

I was talking with Bobby J about all of the crap which I have accumulated, and I may have a sale soon. Anyone want to buy some of my crap? Anyone need a motorcycle, car, electric guitar, amp,

... that would actually be a really good start. I have enough stuff that most people would think I had 4 people living in my house. Time to clean out.

**30A Skunkape** · 02-24-2007, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Smiling JOe

I was talking with Bobby J about all of the crap which I have accumulated, and I may have a sale soon. Anyone want to buy some of my crap? Anyone need a motorcycle, car, electric guitar, amp,

... that would actually be a really good start. I have enough stuff that most people would think I had 4 people living in my house. Time to clean out.

Consider me an early bird

**Camp Creek Kid** · 02-24-2007, 01:44 PM

The 32413 Panama City Beach zip code is the mailing address for Eastern SoWal until Deer Lake. The reason is that the mail is routed through the big post office near the PCB Wal-Mart. Most of SoWal is 32459 Santa Rosa Beach (their mail is routed through the post office on 98), except on the West end near Sandestin--they have a Destin address. Many other areas of Walton County have similar crazy addresses.

The mail routes in SoWal are rural routes with contract mail people--I guess they haven't caught up with the times.

I live in the Seacrest area, but have a PCB address and there is nothing on my driver's license that indicates that I live in Walton County, not Bay. I sometimes will use "Seacrest" on my address like at school and the library where I need to prove that I am a resident of Walton County.

The REALLY confusing thing is UPS and FedEx delivery--that is when you need you street address (with the 32413 zip code) and not your mailing address. Just hope the UPS guy gets to know where you are because UPS and FedEx don't have the same route boundaries as the post office.

Good Luck!

**seacrestkristi** · 02-24-2007, 02:22 PM

Our place is in the olde Seacrest Beach, by Camp Creek Lake, not the huge complex named Seacrest and it is also 32413. Kinda seems like Alys is really in the middle of Seacrest Beach. Isn't it? As long as the zip is right it'll get there, has been my experience.

**abacomah** · 02-24-2007, 02:24 PM

I want my own zip code .... not

OK .... here in my semi small city, which is the capital of SC, there is a separate zip code for the Post Office Boxes. Some businesses ..... like the utility company have their own zip code .... aren't they special.

I am pretty sure USC (The Carolina University) has it's own zip code. I guess it makes sorting the mail easier.

Now I live outside our semi small city in a really small town called Chapin, SC. We just got a post office box in another really, really small crossroads called the White Rock, SC post office which is closer to us than the really small town of Chapin, SC which is the zip code for our street address..... so now we have a post office box and I forget the zip code for it ....... in fact I forget the box number

Why don't you guys send me some mail and just say White Rock, SC and see if I get it. Send it to Abacomah, White Rock, SC ...... that's pronounced "Whight Rock" .... just kidding, please don't .... the postmaster or postmistress or postwhatever would probably really be mad at me