Benjamin Franklin and William Hunter were named co-Deputy Postmasters for North America under the British Crown today in 1753.
Per the National Postal Museum, John Wise carried mail in his balloon “Jupiter” today in 1859. Unable to maintain sufficient altitude, he descended after only 30 miles.
On this day in 1920, the Post Office approved the use of Pitney' Bowes' postage meters. http://arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=1&cmd=1&mode=1&tid=2032126
Pitney Bowes was once the standard for business mail. Now anyone can print stamps at home with a simple set-up from Stamps.com.
Today, in 1935, rockets loaded with mail were launched on Long Island. Instead of delivering the mail, the rockets exploded, destroying it.
Today in 1792, Sara DeCrow was named postmaster at Hertford, North Carolina, the first woman named to the position under the Constitution.
Today in 1850, the U.S. Post Office Department extended mail service to the Utah and Nevada territories.
Monthly U.S. mail service from east coast to west coast began today in 1848, utilizing ships and passage by mule through the Panama Isthmus.
Today in 1917, President Woodrow Wilson ordered military mail to be reviewed by censors before delivery.
Interestingly also Chuck Yeager was the first man to break the sound barrier today in his X-1 rocket plane in 1947.
One hundred years ago today the postal service inaugurated its Motor Vehicle Service. You can read a little more about it here..... http://arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=2&cmd=1&id=63973&img=1&pg=6
The Pony Express service officially ended today in 1861, after only 18 months of service. Here's a link to the Smithsonian about the Pony Express..... http://arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=1&cmd=1&tid=2032344
Yes this is an interesting bit of postal history as the Pony Service Mail looks very interesting. I like the sample covers in the link.
