History of the United States Postal Service

As per the US Postal laws, US Mail and the Post Office are known as the United States Postal Service (USPS). It is an independent agency of the US federal government that manages the delivery and processing of mail from abuse, theft, and loss. Apart from these, US postal services oversee the application of fees and postal rates determined by its independent Postal Regulatory Commission and governor’s board. Are you aware of facts about the US Post Office? Continue reading to know more about United States postal service facts. 

Origins in the Colonial Period

In 1639, the first post office in colonial America was started in Boston Home, a tavern owned by Richard Fairbanks. He sent the mail to specific destinations and got paid for the delivered mail. In 1672, an international mail service was established. From 1753 to 1774, Benjamin Franklin renewed the courier system to an efficient organization that covered deliveries between New York City and Philadelphia. His fellow patriots arranged underground networks by the early 1770s. The Continental Congress turned the Constitutional Post into the United States post office before the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1775. 

Mail Transportation

The postal system played a crucial role in all transport systems as the country expanded westward. In 1848, the discovery of Gold in California led to mail service demand in the western US. Stagecoaches moved mail to California, New Mexico, Monterey, and more. The first overland mail reached Los Angeles on May 1848. However, due to attacks and snowstorms, stagecoaches take a lot of time to move the mail to the West Coast. In 1862, the Missouri postmaster introduced a traveling post office system to avoid delays in mail deliveries. The beginning of railway post office started from here. In 1864, the first official mail train service between Chicago and Clinton started. 

Evolution of Postal Services

The quality, range, and accessibility of services offered by the post office improved. The sale of the first postage stamp that began in New York City and street letter boxes are other United States postal service facts. In 1863, free home delivery started in 49 cities, and a small fee was charged by patrons for the home delivery of mail. Later, postcards were introduced into the postal system in 1873. A few services opened by the postal system include special delivery, money order service, certified mail, collect on delivery, and more. 

All these are United States postal service facts you must remember. Today, more than 40000 post offices are functioning in the United States. Most postal services deliver around 200 billion mail each year. 

Did You Know? These States That Completely Banned Billboards