Colonial Communication Before Post Offices
In the early 1600s, communication between American colonists and their families back in Britain was a slow and uncertain process. Without an established postal system, letters were entrusted to cargo ships making the transatlantic journey—often taking several months to arrive at their destination.
Lacking official postal offices, colonists would leave letters at local inns or taverns near harbors. These informal hubs served as the only means for messages to begin their long trip across the Atlantic, dependent on the schedules and goodwill of ship captains.
The Birth of the U.S. Postal System
Everything changed on July 26, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress officially established the United States Postal System. Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was appointed the first Postmaster General, creating a structured and reliable way for Americans to send and receive mail.
Franklin’s early efforts laid the foundation for what would become one of the most vital services in American society—essential not just for communication, but also for the economic and agricultural development of the young nation.
That’s today’s American Agriculture History Minute.
I’m Mark Oppold.