On June 17, 1844, Boyd’s City Express Post opened in New York City, offering residents a faster alternative for sending letters across the growing metropolis. Despite decades of government efforts to restrict private mail services, Boyd’s continued making deliveries for more than 40 years.
On April 29, 1947, the United States issued its first aerogram, then called an air letter sheet. It was a simple folded sheet of paper, but it offered Americans a cheaper and faster way to send personal messages overseas in the growing age of air travel.
On April 23, 1976, the USPS issued the first regular postage stamp to include a service indicator. While most Americans would never use it or notice it, the 7.9-cent Drum coil stamp quietly solved a problem that had complicated bulk mailing for decades.
On April 15, 1926, Charles Lindbergh made his first airmail flight, launching a new contract route between Chicago and St. Louis. Just over a year later, that same young pilot would become world famous—but on this morning, he was focused on carrying the mail safely and on schedule.
On April 9, 1921, Postmaster General Will H. Hays took an extraordinary step: he ordered the arming of postal workers who handled the nation’s most valuable mail. The order came after a sharp rise in armed robberies, when trains, mail cars, and postal employees had become targets for thieves looking for cash, securities, and registered mail.
On March 28, 1876, a Boston inventor received a patent that would transform the way America handled its mail. The Leavitt canceling machine didn’t just speed up a mundane postal task — it helped launch the modern era of mail processing. And it arrived at exactly the right moment.
On January 7, 1785, the sky briefly became part of the postal system. In a daring balloon flight watched by astonished crowds, mail was carried through the air for the first time, marking a bold experiment in communication and transportation that captured the imagination of the world.
After just eighteen months of daring rides across the American frontier, the Pony Express ceased operations on October 26, 1861. Though short-lived, it became one of the most legendary chapters in the history of the American West.
On October 1, 1885, the Special Delivery service was first available and the first stamp, US #E1, went on sale. The service provided the immediate delivery of a letter within one mile of any other Special Delivery post office.