Going to the post office has always been simple. Buying post stamps and shipping off items have…read morebeen my go-to at this location. For this visit, we needed to get a collection of stamps. Sophia usually handled that arena by mostly ordering online, but we were running short so I was given the task to pick some up. It was right after I got off work so I stopped by on the way home. Foot traffic was very minimal which resulted in no wait at all. I actually stood in line for no longer than 15 seconds. As stated earlier, it was for buying a book of stamps. To my surprise, the cost for the book was over $14. Back when I used to ship items off by mail, stamps cost under $10. It's crazy to see the prices go up each year. Unfortunately, we have to accept the changes and move on. Besides the price increase, the transaction went smooth as usual. I know this location will always come in handy for yours truly. Till next time :)

The lady that works at this post office is ridiculous. I 100% understand you close at 5. I was…read morereturning 2 separate things, had my packing slips printed out, I just needed to put them in 2 little bubble wrap packages and then give them to her. I showed up at 4:45 because that's when I could get there. This lady was yelling at me the WHOLE time complaining that "I showed up right before they close" I grabbed the 2 bubble wrap packages I needed and went to put the items in there (hadnt even been there 1 minute) and she yelled "I'll do it" and grabbed the stuff out of my hands even though she had no idea which package went with which packing slip. I got irritated and told her she needs to give me a minute, good thing I checked because she had the wrong package with the wrong slip. She complained the whole time talking about "Everyone shows up right before I close, I'm sick of this I need to get off work on time, don't you want to get off work on time, management needs to change the hours we need to close at 4:30 because you guys are ridiculous showing up before we close, I can't do this" blah blah blah. I get it she wanted to go home. But I was hurrying, and would've been done in 2 seconds but her complaining and yelling made everything take even longer. People showed up after me with packages that literally just needed to be scanned, and she turned them down and closed the door, it wasn't even 5 yet. If you hate it that much, get a different job. Dont berate customers for dropping off packages when you work at the damn post office.

This simple, small town post office is pretty typical of a government building. A brick structure…read morewith a small lobby, and enough post boxes to accommodate the population here. I didn't think it had much personality, until I noticed the cute little cup on the island desk in the center of the entrance. Some creative employee thought they'd spruce the drab surroundings with a bouquet of floral pens for patrons to use! How sweet! It brought a smile to my face knowing someone wanted to add a touch of humanity to an otherwise vacant atmosphere. Well done! Hours are M-F 8:30-4:30 with lunch closure from 1-2. Saturday hours are 8:30-11:30, lobby open 24 hours. Some post offices keep their lobby closed so it's nice this one stays open! It was pretty well stocked, was clean albeit dated, and it offered no passport service or greeting cards. There's plenty of parking and a drive by mailbox. All and all, this post office delivers adequate service to Surry!

The employees are polite and prompt, always smiling and ready to help! I have to come in to collect…read morelarger packages and they always help me out with no fuss.

The lady at this location will only scan five packages and she says the others get scanned there…read morebut they don't. They get scanned when they get to the destination post office which causes a hit on my eBay account. when confronted, she said this is a at the post office that they can only scan five packages at a time. she told me I would have to wait for another customer to come in and for them to scan a package before I could scan the remaining packages. The post office in Smithfield has no problem scanning 8, 10 or 15 packages whatever it takes. The customer service is horrible and this lady needs To stop profiling people.

I am in love! Should I say it again? I am in love! Smithfield... you have captured my heart. I'm a…read morebig fan of small, quaint towns with historical charm and Smithfield is one of the best. We're talking small--a population of 8,100 and 10.1 square miles. Like the rest of the area, Smithfield was first colonized in 1634 by Captain John Smith; it was then officially incorporated in 1752. A big part of the town is Smithfield Food, Inc., which is one of the largest employer in Hampton Roads. Ham is important around here! However, there is so much more to do than just eat ham... THINGS TO DO IN SMITHFIELD: * First, stop by the Visitor Center and pick up a brochure about the Porcine Parade (http://www.yelp.com/biz/smithfield-visitor-center-smithfield) * Search for the 8 pigs in the Porcine Parade * Take a walk or kayak at Windsor Castle Park (http://www.yelp.com/biz/windsor-castle-park-smithfield) * See a show at Smithfield Little Theater (http://www.yelp.com/biz/smithfield-little-theatre-smithfield) * Visit the Isle of Wight Museum (http://www.yelp.com/biz/isle-of-wight-county-museum-smithfield-2) * Walk up and down Main Street to see the wonderful shops, restaurants, and sweets * Visit the Old Isle of Wight County Courthouse (http://www.yelp.com/biz/old-isle-of-wight-county-courthouse-smithfield) * Take a tour at St. Luke's Historic Church (http://www.yelp.com/biz/st-lukes-historic-church-smithfield-3) * Have a picnic at Fort Boykin (http://www.yelp.com/biz/fort-boykin-smithfield) * Go fishing at Clontz Park on the Pagan River Don't just take it from me--Smithfield was recently named "One of the 50 Best Small Southern Towns." Take a trip to visit this beautiful, historic town. I think you will fall in love with Smithfield, too.

I loveeeeee Smithfield. If you picture the cutest little small towns you've ever seen on tv and…read morethen imagine visiting an actual real one - that is Smithfield. It's literally a one stop-light kind'a town with loads of cute shops and more and more are opening up it seems every time I visit. There are so many things to do on Main Street... ---Food: -Yummaries Bakery - A cute bakery that just celebrated one year of the storefront today but has been selling delicious baked goods at the Smithfield Farmer's Markets for years. -The Smithfield Gourmet Bakery and Cafe - the cutest quaint little cafe with fresh-made cupcakes, brownies, breads and hand-cut fries. Delicious lunch and dinner items with daily specials and the best hot chocolate ever. -Smithfield Inn - A working inn with rooms and a nice bar/restaurant downstairs. Old victorian vibe - try the ham biscuits. -Smithfield Station - Down the street by the entrance to Windsor Castle Park with several shops - you can sit inside or out on the deck overlooking the water - try the bacon-wrapped scallops. You will not regret it. -Cure Coffee Shop - relatively new and around the corner on Church Street - coffee, lemonade, teas and light food (think cheese trays, avocado toast, yogurt and granola and sandwiches). -Taste of Smithfield - A pork/ham/bacon Smithfield Foods restaurant with a nice bar and tables inside as well as outdoor seating. They also sell Smithfield Foods ham and gift items inside like peanuts and chocolates. -Smithfield Ice Cream Parlor - cute small-town ice cream shop. ---Outdoors: -Windsor Castle Park is just down Church Street with plenty of parking and several entrances and wooden foot bridges. This is by far my favorite park in Hampton roads. I adore it. -Kayak rentals at Windsor Castle Park - $10 an hour for single person, $20 an hour for double person. -Cypress Creek Golf Course - about 10 minutes outside of town. ---Historical: -Isle of Wight County Museum and Gift Shop -Smithfield Courthouse Complex -Historical Homes Tours - sometimes the old mansions on the waterfront on Church Street allows tours inside. -Tour St. Luke's Church - apparently the nation's only surviving original Gothic building. -Ivy Hill Cemetery - a nearby cemetery with available walking tours, established in 1886. -Fort Huger - a nearby civil war fort with available walking tours. -Fort Boykin Historic Park - a nearby civil war fort with walking tours. ---Shopping: Loads of antiques and other shops - I can't even remember them all... -Relics - vintage and found furniture and decor items that have been restored (mostly white) - beautiful. -Wharf Hill Antiques - kitchen and food items as well as antique home goods items. Very classy and beautiful Christmas displays. -Finley's General Store - it is what you think it is - a general store with food items (think salsa and ketchup) as well as snacks and home items (mugs, kitchen stuff, soap, etc.). -Fleur de Fou - a new-ish florist shop with some cute decor inside and holiday-themed items. -Christmas Store - it is HUGE and has everything you could ever want to decorate for Christmas - or for upcoming holidays. -Perfectly Natural Soap - this classy natural soap store has much more than that and I LOVE it. It's my go to for soap, bath fizzes, essential oils, lotions, chapstick, etc. etc. -Maggie Casey's Celtic Treasure - a Celtic-themed store that even has a life-size statue of Jamie Fraser! -Victoria's Rose - small gift-shop with cute items. -Mansion House Art & Antiques - (on Church Street by Cure Coffee) a giant Mansion house full of classy antiques - these are more high-end than the other shops. -Laura & Lucy's - antique and vintage store with some neat finds -Smithfield Home Furnishings - vintage and antique home decor -Vintage Potential - antique store -Signature Styles Hair Salon ---Entertainment: -The Smithfield Center - weddings, plays, performances, concerts, town meetings, conferences, etc. -Also, Smithfield does an awesome job of hosting dozens of events and markets and craft shows. There is a Halloween market, the pickers market (antiques), a Christmas Market (1-2x annually), weekly Farmer's Markets, various vintage car and craft shows, music shows, 5ks, wine festivals, and sunflowers at Windsor Castle. ---Art: -The Arts Center @ 319 - this is a really cool center that caters to local artists and hosts workshops and classes as well as displaying local art for sale. I've found a few things I really loved. -Smithfield Farmer's Market has loads of arts and crafts and some really neat items. -Boardwalk HeART Show - at Smithfield Station (maybe will be annual?) -Color Scapes Fine Arts Gallery This town is a gem. Really. I adore it. I didn't even mention everything -you must visit if you have never been, walk the park, eat some scallops, talk to the people, enjoy the day. You will not regret it.

Smithfield, where do I even start? It feels like time slows down here. No one seems to be in a…read morerush. People are actually friendly and stop to talk to passers by. Parking up on Main Street during the week can sometimes feel like you're the only one in town - but weekends are popping! From the stunning houses to the local businesses, from the famous ham to the vibrant arts scene, there's actually quite a bit available to see and do. Here's some favorites to check out: 1. Smithfield Farmers Market; 2. Windsor Castle Park (includes a friendly dog park!) 3. Main St - just walk up and down both sides and admire the unique shops in the houses; 4. Taste of Smithfield; 5. Arts Center at 319; 6. Smithfield Station; 7. The Mansion on Main B&B; 8. Cure Coffeehouse; 9. Q Daddy's Pitmaster BBQ; 10. Ringo's donuts - try the 'squealer'. A Smithfield fave. 11. Yummaries Bakery - get a pig cookie!!! 12. Isle of Wight County Museum (check out the oldest cured ham, cured in 1902!) 13. Hayden's Lane. Rich in history, well kept and plenty of festivals throughout the year which attract locals from all around. If you haven't ventured this way before, give it a shot! It's stunning through every season and very picturesque. You might just find your new favorite hideout for some quality me time, away from the hustle and bustle that what we call life.

When I was driving around and saw this area had to stop. A bunch of neat shops plenty of things to…read morelook at and walking up and down the street to look at some of the old style houses. I couldn't determine if it was locals or visitors that had all the pets that were allowing them to strategically place landmines up and down the sidewalks. Other than that it's a really good place to kill some time.

This marker is located along Chesapeake Avenue and has a pretty spectacular view of the Hampton…read moreRoads harbor. If you're lucky, there's an aircraft carrier or two across the way to look at! On the front, "As British Gen. Sidney Beckwith dispersed the local militia on 25 June 1813, Adm. Sir George Cockburn feigned an attack with barges at the mouth of the Hampton River. Hampton's water battery was abandoned and the British occupied the town. Their initial march in the town became known as the Sack of Hampton. There were reports that "at little Hampton, every horror was committed with impunity--rape, murder, pillage." These outrages became a rallying cry for the defense of the Chesapeake. By the end of June, the British left to raid elsewhere." On the reverse, "Impressment of Americans into British service and the violation of American ships were among the causes of America's War of 1812 with the British, which lasted until 1815. Beginning in 1813, Virginians suffered from a British naval blockade of the Chesapeake Bay and from British troops plundering the countryside by the Bay, and along the James, Rappahannock, and Potomac rivers. The Virginia militia deflected a British attempt to take Norfolk in 1813 and engaged British forces throughout the war. By the end of the war, more than 2000 enslaved African Americans in Virginia had gained their freedom aboard British ships." There is street parking on the side streets but signs limiting it on Chesapeake Avenue. [Review 18106 overall - 1382 in Virginia - 1628 of 2022.]

Now well used by fishermen seeking their catches from the sea, this wharf used to be part of an…read moreimportant military installation. The marker reads: "Built by the Corp of Engineers about 1818, this was for many years a very important wharf. Jefferson Davis was landed here as a prisoner on May 22, 1865." Great view of the harbor!

My, times have changed. And they have changed for the better. Here's this marker that reminds us of…read morewhere we used to be: "The first documented Africans in Virginia arrived in 1619 when a Dutch warship landed here at Point Comfort. The "twenty and odd" Africans, captured from the Spanish, were traded to the Virginia colonists in exchange for foodstuffs. Early Africans who lived here included Antony and Isabell, and their son William, likely the first black child in present-day Hampton. They served Point Comfort Commander William Tucker, but whether the early Africans were treated as indentured servants or slaves is uncertain. The institution of slavery evolved during the 17th century as the term of service for Africans was extended for life. The U.S. abolished slavery in 1863."