United States Post Office Department History and Services

The United States Post Office Department has a rich history dating back to 1775, when Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General. The department has undergone many changes and expansions over the years.

The Post Office Department was officially established in 1845, with a network of over 75,000 miles of postal routes and a workforce of over 20,000 employees. This marked a significant milestone in the development of the postal service.

One of the most notable services offered by the Post Office Department is mail delivery, which has been a cornerstone of the department's operations since its inception. Today, the post office delivers over 180 billion pieces of mail each year.

The United States Post Office Department has a rich history that spans over a century. In 1896, Rural Free Delivery was introduced, greatly increasing the volume of mail shipped nationwide.

The advent of parcel post in 1913 revolutionized the way people shopped and received goods, making it possible to order products from distant cities at affordable rates. This led to the growth of mail order businesses, increasing rural access to modern goods.

Many rural customers took advantage of parcel post to order goods, and even college students used it to mail home dirty laundry, as it was less expensive than washing the clothes themselves.

In the early days of the United States, the postal system was a vital part of communication, and records of postmaster appointments are a fascinating glimpse into the past.

The first seven volumes of postmaster appointments, spanning from 1789 to 1832, have been reproduced as Microfilm Publication M1131, Record of Appointment of Postmasters, Oct. 1789–1832. These records are a treasure trove of information for historians and genealogists alike.

The volumes are organized in a way that makes them easy to navigate, with Volume 1 containing a chronological list of first returns of postmasters, allowing you to verify service. This is particularly useful for tracking the length of service of postmasters.

Here's a breakdown of the volumes:

These volumes provide a wealth of information, including the name of the post office, the state in which it was located, dates of establishment and discontinuance, and the names of postmasters and their dates of appointment.

The 19th century was a time of great change and transformation.

Industrialization was on the rise, with the development of new machines and factories that revolutionized the way goods were produced and distributed.

The construction of the transcontinental railroad in the United States connected the East and West coasts, facilitating trade and travel.

The Civil War in the United States resulted in the abolition of slavery, a major milestone in the country's history.

The British Empire was at its peak, controlling a vast portion of the world's land and resources.

The Opium Wars between China and European powers led to the forced opening of Chinese ports to European trade.

The 20th century saw a significant increase in mail volume due to the introduction of Rural Free Delivery in 1896 and the domestic parcel post service in 1913.

Rural customers took advantage of cheap Parcel Post rates to order goods from distant cities, with many students mailing dirty laundry home as it was less expensive than washing themselves.

A notable incident in 1914 led to the prohibition of mailing people after a four-year-old girl, Charlotte May Pierstorff, was sent to her grandparents in Idaho.

The Post Office imposed a daily mailable limit of 200 pounds per customer in 1917, after a business entrepreneur shipped over 80,000 bricks via horse-drawn wagon and train.

The growth of mail order businesses expanded rural access to modern goods, as local general stores typically couldn't stock as much.

By 1924, the Post Office Department had nearly 350,000 employees, one of the largest organizations of the early 20th century.

History is a vast and fascinating subject that spans thousands of years.

The earliest civilizations emerged around 4500 BC, with the rise of Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, and the Indus Valley Civilization.

These early societies developed complex systems of governance, architecture, and trade.

The ancient Egyptians built the Great Pyramid of Giza around 2580 BC, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Indus Valley Civilization, on the other hand, is known for its sophisticated urban planning and water management systems.

The ancient Greeks made significant contributions to philosophy, theater, and the arts, with famous figures like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

The Roman Empire expanded its territories through conquest and strategic alliances, eventually becoming one of the largest empires in history.

The fall of the Roman Empire marked the beginning of the Middle Ages, a period of significant social, economic, and cultural change.

The United States Post Office Department offers a wide range of services to its customers.

Mail delivery is a fundamental service provided by the Post Office Department, with mail carriers working tirelessly to deliver mail to over 157 million addresses across the country.

The department also provides money orders, which can be purchased at post offices and used to pay bills or make purchases.

Additionally, the Post Office Department offers passport services, making it a convenient one-stop-shop for travelers.

The US Savings System was a convenient and safe way for people to save money, especially for those who had lost confidence in banks. From 1911 to 1967, the system allowed depositors to earn 2% interest per year on their deposits.

The system was initially limited to holding a balance of $500, but this limit was raised to $1,000 in 1916 and to $2,500 in 1918. The minimum deposit was just $1, making it accessible to people with small amounts to save.

To make saving even easier, customers could purchase a 10-cent postal savings card and 10-cent postal savings stamps to fill it. This card could be used to open or add to an account when its value, together with any attached stamps, amounted to one or more dollars.

At its peak in 1947, the system held almost $3.4 billion in deposits, with more than four million depositors using 8,141 postal units. This shows just how popular and effective the system was in helping people save their money.

Before 1891, the Post Office Department didn't have any written policies about post office names. They were derived from various sources, including town names, neighborhoods, or even the postmaster's name or place of business.

Post office names could be quite creative, like the one in Chester Township, Ohio, which was initially named Mulberry Corners after a farmer's mulberry trees.

In some cases, post office names reflected the location of the postmaster's business, such as Carson's Tavern in Ohio.

Airmail began in 1918 when the Post Office Department took over the service from the United States Army Air Service.

The Post Office Department used new Standard JR-1B biplanes to carry the mail, but later switched to World War I surplus military de Havilland DH-4 aircraft.

The Post Office Department hired 40 pilots in total, with 4 of them having at least 1,000 hours' flying experience and earning an average of $4,000 per year.

In its first year of operation, the Post Office completed 1,208 airmail flights, with 90 forced landings, mostly due to weather and engine failure.

By 1920, the Air Mail service had delivered 49 million letters.

Domestic air mail became obsolete in 1975, and international air mail in 1995, when the USPS began transporting First-Class mail by air on a routine basis.

The Post Office handled the shipment of gold from the New York City Assay office and Philadelphia Mint to the newly constructed bullion depository at Fort Knox from 1937 to 1941.

If you have questions about stamps or orders placed online through The Postal Store, you can call 1-844-737-7826 or email [email protected].

The customer support team is available Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM ET.

The United States Post Office Department was a well-oiled machine, with a vast network of post offices and mail carriers that crisscrossed the country.

The department had over 60,000 post offices across the United States, making it one of the largest postal services in the world.

Each post office was equipped with a system for sorting mail, which helped to efficiently process the millions of letters and packages that passed through them every day.

The post office department also employed a large number of mail carriers, who delivered mail to every corner of the country.

Postal facilities are closed on federal holidays.

You can check a list of all upcoming USPS holidays and events.

It's a good idea to plan ahead and check the list to avoid any inconvenience.

USPS holidays and events are typically observed by postal facilities.

USPS Tracking is a reliable way to stay on top of your packages. The tracking information available is the same for customer service representatives and what you'll see on USPS Tracking.

If you want to speak with a representative about another issue with your package, please call us.

Here's an interesting read: Canada Post Xpresspost Tracking Number

Post offices were often located near rivers, creeks, postal routes, railroad stations, and other post offices. This information can be found in the National Archives Microfilm Publication M1126, which contains records of post office locations from 1837 to 1950.

Early site reports, which date back to the 1830s, are relatively infrequent and often contain little information. For example, a report for Frostville, Ohio, simply states that neighboring post offices are Rockport and Copopa, and that the Frostville post office is on the west side of the Rockey River.

Site reports become more common and informative after 1870, with many postmasters requesting permission to move the post office to a more convenient location. This is often accompanied by hand-drawn maps, which can be a valuable resource for researchers.

Most maps relating to rural post offices are hand-drawn, while many relating to cities are annotated copies of published street maps, especially after 1900. This is evident in the maps submitted by postmasters, which can provide a wealth of information about the surrounding area.

Postmasters often included maps with their site reports, which can be a treasure trove of information for researchers. For example, the postmaster of Eagleville, Ohio, submitted a hand-drawn map in 1889 showing the location of his post office in relation to railroad lines, roads, rivers, and creeks.

The maps submitted by postmasters can be incredibly detailed, with some even including the location of other post offices, churches, hotels, and businesses. This is evident in the map submitted by the postmaster of Dorset, Ohio, which shows the locations of the current and proposed post office sites, as well as several other buildings and landmarks.