On another road trip several years ago we found a very long line of mailboxes. I had never seen this many before and have never seen such a sight since. We were driving through a rural area where the number of homes were not close to each other at all.
Did you know:
"Small letter boxes for the deposit of U.S. Mail first appeared on the streets of American cities in the late 1850s, when they were attached to lampposts or buildings."
"In the 1890s, larger, free-standing "package boxes" were introduced nationwide, which evolved into today’s standard collection box. First Known Collection Boxes in New York City in 1833 The use of boxes for the deposit of outgoing U.S. Mail began with the penny post system of letter delivery in cities. In 1833, New York City's letter carriers placed boxes along their delivery routes. The carriers collected letters from the boxes "every day (except Sundays) at one o'clock" and took them to the Post Office for a fee of two cents each. The boxes were removed a few years later, "greatly to the annoyance and inconvenience of the citizens living at a distance of two or three miles from the Post-office."
I got the above at this site where you can get a whole lot more info about the history of mailboxes.
There is another interesting article here.
Anyone out there still getting handwritten letters from family and friends? It is really nice finding one in the box instead of bills and what-not!
Thanks for always dropping by. I appreciate your visits very much
I hope your day is filled with sunshine.
Very interesting!
ReplyDeleteI thought so too Ginny :)
DeleteI have a friend who still sends handwritten letters. When we first moved to Australia we had mail boxes called letter boxes nailed to a tree at the end of our street.
ReplyDeleteHow nice that your friend still sends handwritten letters. Mine are all typed now as my fingers don't take a pen too well these days. I enjoyed learning about your own mailboxes Diane, thank you :)
DeleteThe collection box started in US. Something to learn today.
ReplyDeleteYour question sowed a seed Ropentare. I did a little more research and found that these mailboxes started in the 1850s, and it was another ten years before they appeared in America. I'm wondering about other countries now :)
DeleteInteresting. I rarely get any happy mail. It's usually just junk. I don't even get bills in the mail any more. They all come in my email now.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ann, I like that expression, 'happy mail', sounds nicer than snail mail :) All e-mails these days! My mum, aunties and other friends of that generation, were avid letter writers and I used to reply to them regularly. Nowadays it's all emails and I still love getting those.
DeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I have seen those lines of mailboxes along the road. My hubby and I enjoy receiving written thank you cards from our great nephew and niece. They are the closest handwritten letters we receive. Take care, have a great day!
Thank you Eileen, how lovely you get those handwritten thank you cards. You take care and enjoy your day also :)
DeleteDenise, I too have seen several mailboxes posted along rural delivery routes, including in the part of VA where we formerly lived. That said, I never saw as many as in your photo. Yes, I still send and enjoy receiving handwritten notes and cards and send them as well. These days, longer letters are often typed on the computer.
ReplyDeleteThank you Dorothy, they are always a very nice part of driving in the countryside. I hope they will last a long time. Always great to receive handwritten notes and cards, and I still appreciate my mail on the computer :)
DeleteI have never seen those lines of mailboxes...how interesting!
ReplyDeleteWhenever I see anything like this Angie, I always love the sight of them :)
DeleteWe have such instances like this in rural areas. I'd, tho, appreciate you sharing the mailbox history
ReplyDeleteThank you Anni, you are very welcome, glad you enjoyed the history :)
DeleteThat line-up of mailboxes looks like the remains from the land previously being used as a trailer park, maybe? Linda in Kansas
ReplyDeleteI never thought of that Linda. A good point, thank you :)
DeleteBardzo ciekawa historia. Miłego weekendu😊
ReplyDeleteBardzo się cieszę, że uznałeś to za interesujące. Tobie również udanego weekendu :)
DeleteOur mailbox is in a line similar to that. We got a few Christmas cards but I cannot tell you the last time I received an actual handwritten letter.
ReplyDeleteHow lovely! It's the way of things these days, about keeping in touch, isn't it?
DeleteI do still get greeting cards in the mail, less as the years go by.
ReplyDeleteThanks Christine, I get them too but like you, less so :)
DeleteVery occasionally I do get a written letter from Greg's almost 90 year old aunt. I've sent a few letters this year. Fun information here.
ReplyDeleteThat's so nice, I also have an aunt I get letters from :) Always grateful she still sends them to me. It is a lovely connection to my own childhood.
DeleteThat's a lot.
ReplyDeleteMy building includes a mailbox, but nearly all I get is fliers, one or twice a week.
It certainly is! We get a lot of catalogs an fliers :)
DeleteI get very little snail mail - it's almost an occasion to receive a card or letter. I miss letters sometimes.
ReplyDeleteMe too Carol, I know what you mean :)
DeleteNow that is interesting Denise, something I've never thought about.
ReplyDeleteThank you Margaret :)
DeleteVery interesting information Denise. I like to know about the different ways other countries deliver mail. Mail boxes can be seen a lot in rural areas where houses and farms are isolated and it's difficult to deliver the post.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed Linda :) I feel the same as you, always interesting how other countries do things.
DeleteI love handwritten letters and cards -- they are simply the best! And that mailbox row is a remarkable sight!
ReplyDeleteCouldn’t agree with you more Jeanie :) Thank you!
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