Celebrating 250 Years of Connecting Communities: The Postal Service Marks a Proud Anniversary
July 22, 2025

On July 26, 1775, the Second Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as postmaster general of the United Colonies. The founders believed that a democratic form of government depended on the free exchange of news, ideas and opinions, and a Colonial postal system was formed.
The ratification of the Constitution in 1788 gave Congress the power “to establish Post Offices and post roads.” At that time, 75 Post Offices served 4 million people. As the population grew, the postal system explored various methods of transportation to keep up with demand.
Initially, mail was carried by horseback and stagecoach, but the need for more efficient transportation was growing with the nation. In 1808, the mail was first transported by steamboat, and in 1832, railroads began moving mail, with the first official U.S. Railway Post Office route established in 1864. A variety of vehicles carried mail in the 1900s, including motor wagons, Jeeps, Mailsters and Long Life Vehicles.
Demand for more accessible mail services led to the establishment of Free City Delivery through an act of Congress in 1863. Income from local postage would pay for home delivery in many cities. For the first time, Americans had to put their street addresses on their letters. With approximately 65 percent of the population living in rural communities, a growing push for equal services prompted the start of Rural Free Delivery in 1896.
In 1918, airmail services began with flights from New York to Washington, D.C. Many Army pilots flew the mail before the Post Office Department hired its own pilots. Later, the mail was flown by contractors establishing the groundwork for the commercial airline industry.
Mail delivery during times of war played a significant role in boosting the morale of soldiers. The postal network provides essential mail services to military members stationed around the world and support for specialized military postal units. The Postal Service is one of the largest employers for veterans, with nearly 70,000 employed today.
The Zoning Improvement Plan Code, or ZIP Code, was established in 1963. It allowed postal employees to sort mail easily with five-digit codes and paved the way for high-speed optical character recognition and automated sorters. Rising mail volumes prompted the introduction of ZIP+4, enabling automated equipment to sort mail to the correct carrier at delivery offices, making sortation even more efficient.
Today, the innovations continue, with a $40 billion investment in infrastructure, improved facilities and new sorting equipment. Processing capabilities have expanded to 371 million mailpieces per day, retail branches have grown to 34,000 locations and 649,000 USPS employees now service nearly 169 million addresses nationwide.
The ratification of the Constitution in 1788 gave Congress the power “to establish Post Offices and post roads.” At that time, 75 Post Offices served 4 million people. As the population grew, the postal system explored various methods of transportation to keep up with demand.
Initially, mail was carried by horseback and stagecoach, but the need for more efficient transportation was growing with the nation. In 1808, the mail was first transported by steamboat, and in 1832, railroads began moving mail, with the first official U.S. Railway Post Office route established in 1864. A variety of vehicles carried mail in the 1900s, including motor wagons, Jeeps, Mailsters and Long Life Vehicles.
Demand for more accessible mail services led to the establishment of Free City Delivery through an act of Congress in 1863. Income from local postage would pay for home delivery in many cities. For the first time, Americans had to put their street addresses on their letters. With approximately 65 percent of the population living in rural communities, a growing push for equal services prompted the start of Rural Free Delivery in 1896.
In 1918, airmail services began with flights from New York to Washington, D.C. Many Army pilots flew the mail before the Post Office Department hired its own pilots. Later, the mail was flown by contractors establishing the groundwork for the commercial airline industry.
Mail delivery during times of war played a significant role in boosting the morale of soldiers. The postal network provides essential mail services to military members stationed around the world and support for specialized military postal units. The Postal Service is one of the largest employers for veterans, with nearly 70,000 employed today.
The Zoning Improvement Plan Code, or ZIP Code, was established in 1963. It allowed postal employees to sort mail easily with five-digit codes and paved the way for high-speed optical character recognition and automated sorters. Rising mail volumes prompted the introduction of ZIP+4, enabling automated equipment to sort mail to the correct carrier at delivery offices, making sortation even more efficient.
Today, the innovations continue, with a $40 billion investment in infrastructure, improved facilities and new sorting equipment. Processing capabilities have expanded to 371 million mailpieces per day, retail branches have grown to 34,000 locations and 649,000 USPS employees now service nearly 169 million addresses nationwide.
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