Post Offices in the United States

The United States post office traces its roots to the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, on July 26, 1775.

"That a line of posts be appointed under the direction of the Postmaster general, from Falmouth in New England to Savannah in Georgia, with as many cross posts as he shall think fit."


 * Arthur Hecht and William J. Heynen, comp. Records and policies of the Post Office Department relating to place-names : reference information paper no. 72.Washington, D.C. : National Archives and Records Service, 1975. FS Library Digital images


 * Claire Prechtel-Kluskens. The Nineteenth-Century Postmaster and His Duties. NGS Magazine 33 #1 (January - March 2007):35-39.

Post Office Directory Content
Informational content varies for year to year. Following is some of the information that can found in the directories:
 * Canadian Post Offices
 * Distances from the capital of The United States to capitals of the states and territories
 * Distribution offices
 * List of post offices arranged by state and counties
 * Laws relating to post office
 * Military commands and post
 * National cemeteries
 * National homes for disabled veterans
 * Naval yards and Stations
 * Officers of the department
 * Organization of the department
 * Post Offices arraigned in alphabetical order, showing County, state, and name of postmaster.
 * Post offices discontinued
 * Rates of postage - foreign and domestic
 * Special agents of the Post Office
 * Specimen Postage Stamps
 * Suggestion to the public

Online Directories

 * 1813, Table of Post Offices in the United States (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1819, Table of Post Offices in the United States (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1828, Table of Post Offices in the United States on the 1st of June, 1828 (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1831, Table of Post Offices in the United States on the 1st of April, 1831 (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1846, Table of Post Offices in the United States on the First day of October, 1846 (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1850, Tremayne's Table of Post Offices in the United States (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1851, Table of Post Offices in the United States on the first day of January, 1851 (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1855, List of Post Offices in the United States on the First day of July, 1855 (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1866, List of Post Offices in the United States (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1870, List of Post Offices in the United States on the First day of September, 1870 (free Hathi Trust ebook)
 * 1876, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1876 (free Google ebook)
 * 1908, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1908 (free Google ebook)
 * 1909, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1909 (free Google ebook)
 * 1911, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1911 (free Google ebook)
 * 1914, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1914 (free Google ebook)
 * 1915, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1915 (free Google ebook)
 * 1916, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1916 (free Google ebook)
 * 1917, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1917 (free Google ebook)
 * 1918, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1917 (free Google ebook)
 * 1919, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1918 (free Google ebook)
 * 1920, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1920 (free Google ebook)
 * 1921, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1921 (free Google ebook)
 * 1922, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1922 (free Google ebook)
 * 1938, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1938 (free Google ebook)
 * 1941, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1941 (free Google ebook)
 * 1947, United States Official Postal Guide, July 1947 (free Google ebook)