The USPS Celebrates 250 Years of Dedicated Service

By Toni McQuilken

Credit: USPS

Founded in 1775 — before the founding of our country, in fact — the United States Postal Service is celebrating 250 years of continuous service.

In a statement on its website about the impressive achievement, the agency notes, “On July 26, 1775, a year before declaring independence from Great Britain, members of the Second Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin the first American Postmaster General at a meeting in Philadelphia. Our founding fathers knew that a robust, reliable, and secure means of exchanging information was critical to unify the distant parts of our nation — and to maintain unity once we achieved independence.”

So not only is Ben Franklin a pillar of the print community, he is also the father of the mail space as well. An impressive legacy to say the least.

But did you know Ben Franklin wasn’t the only renowned leader to work as part of the postal community? Abraham Lincoln was appointed a postmaster in Illinois in 1833, at just 24 years old. And Harry Truman was named a postmaster, and held the title, but he handed the actual work off to an assistant, whereas Lincoln did work in the position until May 1836.

And that was just one point on the timeline to what we know today as the modern USPS. In fact, the first “post office” in the country was in Boston, in a former tavern, and the official establishment of the United States Post Office Department (the predecessor of the USPS) happened in 1792.

Here are some other interesting bits for fellow history buffs:

The first stamp was issued in 1847.
Free postal delivery in cities was introduced in 1863. It didn’t come to rural communities until 1896.
ZIP codes were introduced in 1963.
The modern USPS as we know it — as an independent organization — was formed in 1971 with the Postal Reorganization Act.
Self-adhesive stamps weren’t introduced until 1992.
The Sonic Eagle logo was unveiled in 1993 and is still in use today.

And of course, these are just a few of the highlights from the timeline the USPS has put together — it is worth taking a quick glance at to see how history happened and shaped the modern mail system we know today.

Celebrating Together

Credit: USPS

To celebrate an achievement that very few can ever claim, the USPS has a number of events and commemorative items available. Those include:

A Dedication ceremony for the 250 Years of Delivering stamps and the Benjamin Franklin stamp on Wednesday, July 23.
Smithsonian National Postal Museum’s Postal Party Family Festival, featuring family-friendly activities, games, crafts and stories on Saturday, July 26.
“Putting a Stamp on the American Experience,” highlighting the depth and range of the U.S. stamp program. Includes two sheets of a new Benjamin Franklin Forever stamp based on an 1847 stamp of the first postmaster general.
“Delivering for America: How the United States Postal Service Built a Nation,” a coffee table book written by historian Jim Bruns. Available this fall at major booksellers, select Post Office locations and the Postal Store.
“The United States Postal Service: An American History” — 250th anniversary edition, available online and in print.
Large-format banners showcasing the Eagle in Flight, displayed on the USPS headquarters building in Washington, DC, for the duration of the anniversary.
Anniversary signage including posters and door decals at retail locations.
Vehicles past and present, including examples of the organization’s oldest and newest vehicles, displayed at USPS headquarters.
The USPS is inviting the public to participate in a voting event to choose a previously issued stamp to re-issue. The stamp issuance that receives the highest number of votes will be announced in 2026. Voting will take place from July 23 to Sept. 30 at com/vote.

“On July 26th, we proudly observe the 250th Anniversary of the United States Postal Service and mark two and a half centuries of service to the American public,” said Postmaster General and CEO David Steiner in a statement. “In 1775, our Founding Fathers recognized the importance of creating an institution that could bind the nation together and foster secure and accessible communications between every community in America. The rich and enduring history of the Postal Service demonstrates the strength of their wisdom, and we look forward to providing reliable, affordable, and universal service for generations to come.”