Postal insignias include, clockwise from top left, the Mercury symbol introduced in 1782, the Post Office Department logo introduced in 1837, the USPS eagle introduced in 1970 and the current logo that debuted in 1993.
The Postal Service logo is a well-known American symbol, but it hasn’t always looked the way it does today. Here’s a look at how the postal insignia has evolved over time.
- Mercury. In 1782, then-Postmaster General Ebenezer Hazard used an image of Mercury, the winged-messenger of the Roman gods, in his official postal seal.
- Post rider. Seeking a modern representation of the mail in motion, an image of a “post horse in speed, with mailbags and rider” was chosen in 1837 for the Post Office Department seal.
- The eagle. When the 1970 Postal Reorganization Act transformed the Post Office Department into USPS, officials unveiled a new seal created by the firm of famed industrial designer Raymond Loewy with an “eagle poised for flight.”
- The current logo. In 1993, USPS adopted its current logo, which features a “sonic” blue eagle looking forward to symbolize the organization’s future.
Source: USPS News Link