WASHINGTON — A book chronicling the 250-year history of the U.S. postal system is now available for purchase. “Delivering for America: How the United States Postal Service Built a Nation” was written by James H. Bruns, a former director of the National Postal Museum. The book explores the integral role of USPS in American history, from its role in early colonial days to becoming a critical communication lifeline for our service members serving abroad, to future-facing innovations such as automated sorting machines and electric vehicles.
“Readers will gain a deeper understanding of not just the history of the mail but of America itself — where we’ve been, who we are, and where we’re headed,” said Amity Kirby, USPS licensing and creative manager. “Additionally, the book serves as a reminder of how the Postal Service is a vital part of the nation’s infrastructure, connecting and empowering every American household and business through the mail.”
In the Pages
The Postal Service was founded on July 26, 1775. As the nation grew bigger, the mail made it smaller, offering a way for people from Colonial-era cities in the Northeast to reach the limits of a frontier that was racing westward from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River, to the Golden Gate of California, up to the gold fields of Alaska, and across to the tropical shores of Hawaii.
As the nation moved — from colony to country, from horses to rail, from air to space — the Postal Service has found ways to use every cutting-edge advance to deliver to Americans the words that help them understand themselves, each other, and their place in the world.
The book includes rare photographs, documents and artifacts. It showcases postal uniforms, hand stamps, pneumatic mail systems and Post Office-themed music. The book delves into how the U.S. mail system has grown with the needs of the nation: delivering by horses, trains, trucks and planes — and even into space.
The 496-page coffee table-style book is available through the online Postal Store, select Post Office locations and retailers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. The suggested retail price is $50.
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