| National Postal Museum

13-cent stamp with illustration of Carl Sandburg

January 6, 1978

The US Postal Service begins copyrighting stamps with the Carl Sandburg stamp issue.

Poet and biographer Carl Sandburg is born in Galesburg, Illinois. He was commemorated on a stamp in 1978.

A Sikorsky manufactured helicopter landing on the roof of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Post Office

January 6, 1947

Experimental helicopter service begins in the New York City area. These flights are the first helicopter flights to be conducted by private helicopter organizations contracted to the postal service.

30-cent stamp featuring illustration of Theodore Roosevelt

January 6, 1919

Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the US, dies in Oyster Bay, New York. He was commemorated on several US stamps.

photo of Postmaster General Donald M. Dickinson

January 6, 1888

Donald M. Dickinson is appointed Postmaster General under Grover Cleveland.

January 6, 1876

The first canceling machine, created by Thomas and Martin Leavitt, is used in Boston, Massachusetts. Leavitt canceling machines were used until the 1890s.

January 6, 1807

Joseph Holt, Postmaster General (1859-1860), is born in Breckinridge County, Kentucky.

block of four National Postal Museum stamps

January 5, 1938

Three men rob and kill mail messenger Arthur Mimms who is carrying $25,000 from the Guthrie, Kentucky post office to the train station.

5-dollar stamp with illustration of Calvin Coolidge

January 5, 1933

Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the US, dies in Northampton, Massachusetts. He was commemorated on a stamp in 1938.

charred remnants of a crashed airmail plane

January 5, 1929

Airmail pilot E.C. Carrington dies when his plane crashes and burns on landing.

Pages