|
|
|
 |
|
 |
People
Richard Bache, Postmaster General, 1776-1782 (RTF) (505k) | (PDF) (174k)
Richard Bache succeeded his father-in-law, Benjamin Franklin, as Postmaster General. Appointed November 7, 1776, by the Continental Congress, he headed the Post Office through the Revolutionary War.
James A. Farley, Postmaster General, 1933-1940 (RTF) (459k) | (PDF) (163k)
James A. Farley, the nation's 53rd Postmaster General, was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and took office on March 6, 1933, serving until 1940. Farley implemented payless furlough days to avoid eliminating jobs during the Great Depression and was a strong advocate for philatelists.
Benjamin Franklin, Postmaster General, 1775-1776 (RTF) (680k) | (PDF) (127k)
Benjamin Franklin was appointed Postmaster General for the United Colonies by the 2nd Continental Congress on July 26, 1775, the date considered the establishment date for the organization now called the United States Postal Service.
Timothy Pickering, Postmaster General, 1791-1795 (RTF) (398k) | (PDF) (164k)
Timothy Pickering was appointed Postmaster General by President George Washington on August 12, 1791. He extended mail service westward.
|
|
|
Postal Style
Letter Carriers' Uniform
One of the most visible representations of the Postal Service is the letter carrier on the street. This history describes letter carriers' uniforms and is presented chronologically, by periods of major change.
History of Letter Carriers' Uniforms: Image Gallery
Topping Things Off: Uniform Hats
Uniform Accessories
- Holding It All Together: Uniform Buttons (RTF) (569k) | (PDF) (112k)
- Postal Patchwork: Uniform Patches (RTF) (3996k) | (PDF) (450k)
- Postal Stars & Stripes: Uniform Service Stars (RTF) (381k) | (PDF) (83k)
- Satchels, 1868-Present (RTF) (4097k) | (PDF) (137k)
- Whistles and Door Knockers (RTF) (1730k) | (PDF) (230k)
- Wreaths & Eagles: Uniform Badges (RTF) (5491k) | (PDF) (178k)
|
|
|
Stamp Listings
African-American Stamps (RTF) (25k) | (PDF) (71k)
Beginning in 1940 with a 10-cent stamp honoring Booker T. Washington, the Post Office Department began issuing stamps to commemorate the contributions of African Americans.
American Indian Stamps (RTF) (14k) | (PDF) (62k)
Since 1898, the Post Office Department and Postal Service have issued more than 60 stamps honoring American Indians.
Christmas Holiday Stamps (RTF) (363k) | (PDF) (89k)
After many requests from customers, the Post Office Department issued its first Christmas stamp, showing a wreath and candles, on November 1, 1962.
Women Stamps (RTF) (30k) | (PDF) (89k)
Although Queen Isabella appeared in the first commemorative stamps issued in 1893, the first stamp specifically to honor a woman was the 8-cent Martha Washington stamp issued in 1902.
|
|
|
Special Histories
Little America, Antarctica, Post Office (RTF) (2216k) | (PDF) (222k)
The U.S. established a Post Office in Antarctica on October 6, 1933, as part of Admiral Richard E. Byrd's second expedition to the South Pole.
Collection Box Colors (RTF) (8k) | (PDF) (56k)
Street collection boxes have been painted red, green, or blue since they first were installed in the mid-19th century.
Deliveries: Frequency (RTF) (6k) | (PDF) (54k)
When free city delivery began in 1863, carriers delivered mail as often as it came into the Post Office. In 1950, residential deliveries were limited to one per day.
State Abbreviations (RTF) (7k) | (PDF) (55k)
Adding the ZIP Code to addresses in 1963 meant state abbreviations had to be reduced to two letters to accommodate addressing machines of the day.
What's in a (Post Office) Name? (RTF) (1615k) | (PDF) (149k)
Naming a Post Office is no simple matter. Learn how Post Office names have been chosen since the 1800s through today.
When Motorcycles Moved the Mail (RTF) (2292k) | (PDF) (533k)
The Post Office Department authorized rural carriers to use motorcycles to carry mail when their horses needed a rest or roads were impassable for other vehicles as early as 1907.
|
|
|
|
|
