Remember When You Could Mail a Child?

After parcel post service was introduced in 1913, at least two children were sent by the Postal Service.

According to the Smithsonian's Photography Initiative website, "With stamps attached to their clothing, the children rode with railway and city carriers to their destination. The Postmaster General quickly issued a regulation forbidding the sending of children in the mail after hearing of those examples."

According to an unidentified post on the BoingBoing website, "At the beginning of US Air Mail you could fly with the pilot in the second seat (2-seat biplane) for your postage weight in airmail stamps."

They go on to say, "Today there are Rural Star Routes where you can ride along with the post carrier in the truck or car to your destination (if it's on the route). This takes a long time, but it's faster than walking."

Shown above, city letter carrier posed for a National Postal Museum photograph circa 1920 with a young boy in his mailbag.