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Do not mess with this DeWitt County man
By gabesemenza in Crowdsourcing
February 23, 2011

I just wrapped up a Your Life feature about people's funny, silly or elaborate mailboxes. That story publishes Sunday.

Too bad a certain DeWitt County man did not contact me until today. While I found many mailboxes in Victoria County that are odd or unique, the DeWitt County man's mailbox -- and the story behind it -- would have made my feature no doubt.

Here's from an e-mail I received today:

You asked for interesting mailboxes so here's mine. After happily moving to DeWitt County in 2000 I was welcomed by some snotty mailbox smasher in the wee hours of the morning. I've done a lot of hoodlum stuff in my youth but I NEVER smashed a mailbox. Chronic mailbox smashing seemed to be a real problem in my area.

After about four mailboxes and no culprit I had had enough and built this one.

Here, you can see it as a mild-mannered mailbox by day...

Image

But if you hit my mailbox, see how CONCRETE feels:

Image

It took two people to lift it and put it on the post and one to bolt it on the custom mounts. I can't say it's completely legal and my mailman doesn't like it much, but it's been hit going on TWELVE times now.

It must be getting some level of respect. Others still get smashed but mine has become somewhat of an urban legend.

Share the pics but keep it anonymous please. I don't want anybody trying to use this as a trophy.

I'm not sure about the legality or wisdom of installing such a concrete-heavy mailbox, but I do know this DeWitt County version is unique. And by the looks of it -- painful.

Gabe Semenza / Advocate public service editor