From Horses to Missiles: The transportation of the U.S. Postal Service

Photo: Hartville Post Office, ca. 1900. Courtesy of Lake Township Historical Society, via Ohio Memory.

The first national postal agency in the US, known as the United States Post Office (USPS) was founded by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 26, 1775, at the beginning of the American Revolution.

Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first postmaster general as he had already served in a similar role overseeing Britain’s colonial mail service.

From 1753 to 1774, Franklin improved the courier system connecting the 13 fragmented colonies into a more efficient organization that sped deliveries between Philadelphia and New York City to a mere 33 hours.