Post Office Department
Where U.S. Mail Went to Die
By Ashley Bowen-Murphy – October 28, 2015 The “dead” mail arrived constantly, black bags filled with almost 30,000 letters and parcels each day. These high casualties caused only a general sense of alarm among late 19th and early 20th century Americans. Postal clerks in Washington, D.C. sorted through all letters pronounced dead, separating the truly … Read more
Owney the Mail Dog Still Lives, Sort of, in DC
By Matt Blitz – September 4, 2015 Before Rin Tin Tin, Sergeant Stubby, Lassie and Checkers, there was Owney the dog. During the late 19th century, this terrier-mix was the most famous dog in America, if not the world. As the Railway Mail Service’s mascot, he rode the rails delivering smiles and mail across the … Read more
USPS: Mailbox milestones – Rural boxes have come a long way
The larger mailboxes being tested in states like Colorado and North Dakota may seem a little unusual, but rural boxes have been evolving from the beginning. When the Post Office Department started Rural Free Delivery in 1902, customers were forced to make their own mailboxes using materials they found around their homes and farms. Rural … Read more