First Commercial Telegraph Service
On April 1, 1845, the US Post Office Department inaugurated the first commercial telegraph service.
Mail Delivery
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First U.S. Triangle Stamps
On March 13, 1997, the USPS issued its first triangle-shaped stamps to promote the upcoming Pacific ’97 Stamp Show.
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Newspaper & Periodical Stamps
On March 3, 1863, an Act of Congress granted postal agents the ability to accept newspaper bundles, which would lead to the first US Newspaper and Periodical stamps two years later.
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America’s First Perforated Stamps
The earliest known use of a US perforated postage stamp was on February 28, 1857. Perforations were introduced to make separating stamps quicker and easier.
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First Contract Airmail Flight
On February 15, 1926, the first contract airmail flight was made between Michigan and Ohio. Three stamps were issued for this service during its first two years.
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Famous Americans Series Begins
On January 29, 1940, the US Post Office Department issued the first stamps in the Famous Americans Series. It honors 35 Americans from 7 professions based on recommendations submitted by the public.
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Happy Birthday Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts Bay Colony. “The first citizen of Philadelphia,” Franklin was a printer, inventor, postmaster, and the only person to sign all four of the key documents in US history.
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America’s First Airmail Coil Stamp
The first US Airmail coil stamp was issued on January 15, 1948, in Washington, DC. Only a few more coil stamps would be issued over the next 30 years, but the DC-4 SkyMaster would appear on more than a dozen postal items.
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Parcel Post Service Begins
On January 1, 1913, the US Post Office Department initiated its Parcel Post Service for fourth-class mail. The stamps were short-lived but have long been praised for their detail and fine engraving.
