Below are just a few of the dates of importance and and their significance to the Postal Service: 

• 1639 – A former tavern in Boston becomes the first Post Office store.
• 1775 – Benjamin Franklin appointed as the first Postmaster General.
• 1815 – Steamboats begin carrying mail.
• 1832 – The railroads are contracted to carry mail
• 1847 – The first postage stamp is issued. 
  • They were issued at five and ten cents.
• 1860 – The short lived Pony Express began operation (ended in 1861).
• 1863 – Free delivery began in the cities.  
  • Rural free delivery didn’t begin until 1896.
• 1913 – The USPS officially began delivering packages as Parcel Post.
  • This greatly changed the access of goods to rural America, the birth of mail order. 
• 1918 – Airmail took flight.
• 1963 – ZIP Code system introduced. (And what an impact that has been!)
  • ZIP + 4 Code was introduced in 1983
• 1971 – The Postal Reorganization Act of 1970 was enacted.  
  • The United States Post Office Department became the United States Postal Service.
• 2006 – USPS hit its peak mail volume of 213 billion pieces in FY2006. 
  • FY2024 mail volume is at 112 billion, 47% off of its high.
• 2006 – The Postal Accountability Enhancement Act (PAEA) was signed into law.
  • The Postal Rate Commission became the Postal Regulatory Commission.
  • Postage pricing became more regulated.
  • USPS began prefunding Retiree Health Benefits.
• 2007 – The First Forever stamp is issued.
• 2021 – The Delivery for America plan was introduced.
• 2022 – The Postal Service Reform Act was enacted.  
  • Eliminated the Prefunding Mandate.
  • Medicare Integration.
  • Codified six day delivery into law.
• 2024 – First release of Next Generation Delivery Vehicles and EVs
  • Sorting & Delivery Centers expand. 

About.USPS.com link includes many more stories of the USPS history.

Below are upcoming Industry events: 

• September 8-10, 2025 – Parcel Forum, Chicago, IL
• September 29 – October 1, 2025 – MailCom conference, Atlantic City
• September 30 – October 1, 2025 – PostCom Study Day & Board Mttg, Alexandria, VA
• October 1 – 2, 2025 – DTAC meeting, Alexandria, VA
• October 7-8, 2025 – MTAC – Washington, D.C.
• October 22-24, 2025 – Printing United, Orlando, FL
• October 23, 2025 – NPPC meeting, Arlington, VA
• February 17 – 19, 2026 – NAPM conference, Orlando, FL
• March 4-5, 2026 – DTAC Meeting, Sarasota, FL
• May 3-6, 2026 – National Postal Forum – Phoenix, AZ
• May 18-21, 2026 – ACMA conference – Washington, D.C.

Below are links to many more stories and pictures of the USPS 250 year history.

• From Benjamin Franklin to Pony Express to Anthrax: How the US Postal Service shaped a Nation.  (U.S. NEWS)
• PHOTO COLLECTION: The U.S. Postal Service at 250. (LMTonline)
• Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Postal Service with these 15 photographs. (Smithsonian Magazine)
• From the Archive: You’ve Got Mail.  (The Saturday Evening POST)
• Explore Our Rich History.  (USPS About)
• 250 Years of USPS with Mail with Mr. Zip (YouTube)
• USPS 250 Years of Collecting Mail (Mailing’ it! USPS Podcast)

For more information on these topics or other postal issues, contact GrayHair Software at engage@grayhairsoftware.com