The History of Mail Boxes
According to Allison Marsh of the National Postal Museum, the mailbox has been around for more than 150 years. The designs for mail receptacles have changed somewhat with time, but their function remains the same.
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Beginnings
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Mailboxes were not used until the 1850s, when postage stamps were introduced. This freed people from having to go to the post office to pay for postage.
Mailboxes Mandated
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In 1863, Free City Delivery began and letter carriers delivered mail to residences. In 1923, the Post Office Department mandated that households must provide a mailbox or letter slot.
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Mailbox Requirements
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Residential mailboxes were required to hold up to weather, be large enough to hold letters and magazines easily and have a signaling device. Mailboxes that meet the standards of the U.S. Postal Service are stamped "Approved by the Postmaster General."
Residential Mailboxes
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The common tunnel-style household mailbox was designed by Roy J. Joroleman, an engineer and Post Office employee, in 1915. In more urban areas, small metal mailboxes or letter slots could be attached to the outside of homes.
Collection Mailboxes
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The 1850s saw the installation of collection mailboxes, where people could drop their mail. The first collection mailboxes were mounted on lampposts, but they were replaced by the familiar free-standing mailbox beginning in 1894.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Ed Siasoco
