Changing Mail Delivery

In 1863 letter carriers began bringing mail to American’s homes for the first time. At first limited to 44 northern cities, the popular service grew steadily. In 1896 the Post Office Department experimented with broadening home delivery to rural homes and in 1902 Rural Free Delivery became an official part of the service. While letter carriers continue to bring mail to homes and offices across the country, there have been a number of changes in how they get that job done.