Valley Forge Cupolas and Weathervanes 866-400-1776
Follow Us On Social Media!
  • Home
  • Specials
    • Mailboxes, Mailbox and Lantern Posts
  • Gallery
    • Garages
    • Barn Cupolas
  • Cupolas
    • Louver Cupolas
    • Window Cupolas
    • Custom Cupolas >
      • Four Sides
      • Six Sides
    • Estate/Select Series
    • Signature Series
    • Gazebo Cupolas
    • Metal Cupolas
    • Wood/Shed Cupolas
    • PVC-Cedar
    • Cupola Lanterns
  • Weathervanes
    • Sealife
    • Boats
    • Flying Birds
    • Running Animals
    • Finials & Arrows
    • Novelty Weathervanes
    • Smaller
    • Accessories
  • Custom
    • Custom Cupola Installation
    • Royal Crowne Custom
    • VF Custom Designs
    • Digital Garage Quotes
    • Finished Garages
    • Digital Building Quotes
    • Finished Buildings
  • Shop Now
  • Contact
    • Installation >
      • Cupola Sizing Charts
    • Contractors & Developers >
      • Just Completed in Sulphur Springs, Texas (February 2019)
      • Just Completed in Scarsdale, NY (January 2018)
    • Testimonials
    • Cupola Shop Visit
    • Blog
    • Referral Program
    • Partners

A Brief History Of The Mailbox

2/11/2022

0 Comments

 
Picture
In these times of same day shipping, digital downloads, and drone drop-offs, the strangely shaped box at the end of your driveway may seem nearly irrelevant. But there was a time when the mailbox reigned supreme as the paragon of post; it was truly revolutionary, changing the history of written correspondence forever. Join Valley Forge Cupolas as we delve into a brief history of the mailbox!

Post Across The Pond

Though many trace the invention of the mailbox back to the United States Postal Service in the early 1860s, its true origin is transatlantic. A decade before the U.S. adaptation, there was a British precursor to the USPS called the Royal Mail. In an effort to improve efficiency, the Royal Mail encouraged residents to install boxes on their properties for mail drop off and retrieval. And so began the history of the mailbox.

The Free City Delivery Service

Things took a bit longer to materialize stateside, but the path to post efficiency began in 1863 with a program called Free City Delivery. Before its inception, folks were forced to travel to the nearest post office to send or receive any form of correspondence. Free City Delivery was a game changer, sparing U.S. citizens frequent trips to and from the Post Office in favor of a convenient residential delivery service, completely free of charge. ​

The Major Flaw With Free Delivery

Though groundbreaking and time-saving, the Free City Delivery service was far from perfect. Its Achilles heel was door-to-door delivery; U.S. Postmen would travel from home to home, knocking on each door and waiting for residents to answer, accept incoming mail, and send off outgoing mail. Devoted to their duties, couriers would often wait up to ten minutes or more for folks to answer the door. This kind of lost time was deemed unacceptable to the USPS, and the door-to-door system was discarded soon after.

Think Inside The Box

In 1903, after various unofficial 3rd party attempts at mailbox systems, the USPS solved its Free City Delivery downsides once and for all by officially introducing the mailbox. No longer hampered by high wait times, postmen were free to breeze through their routes with ease and efficiency. The new system was admired by citizens as well, who no longer needed to be available during brief delivery windows. And there you have it; spanning decades of trial and error, the mailbox system became a staple of the USPS, and has survived to this very day.

Celebrate The History Of The Mailbox With A Custom, Handcrafted Mailbox From Valley Forge Cupolas!

When all else is moving at the speed of light, it seems like snail mail is doomed to fail - is there any chance of a pulse for the post? Why not give the USPS your vote of confidence with a custom, handcrafted mailbox from Valley Forge Cupolas? Completely customizable by style and color, our mailboxes feature a beautiful blend of form and function guaranteed to breathe some life into your streetside ensemble. Go ahead; brighten your delivery person’s day - pick up a custom, handcrafted mailbox from Valley Forge Cupolas today!
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    ​A Little

    About Us

    We are the "Cupola Specialists" who can help you with every aspect of your cupola selection. Let us do a customized digital quote so that you can see exactly how one of our beautiful vinyl or wood cupolas will look on your roof.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016

    RSS Feed

Save Up to 72% Cupola and Weathervane Sale!
For your FREE quote, email MagicCupolas@ValleyForgeCupolas.com or call 866-400-1776!

© 2019. All Rights Reserved.