Rural Carriers

Historian Nancy Pope writes on the National Postal Museum's Pushing The Envelope blog about rural carriers. This is the first in a series of blogs spotlighting items and stories from America’s postal workers.

Nancy pens, "Rural Free Delivery (RFD) service began in 1896 and continues today. Rural carriers function a little differently from city letter carriers. For one thing, rural carriers are required to use their own vehicles to make their daily rounds. For another, rural carriers have, from the beginning, provided their patrons with more than just the day’s mail. They carry stamps, stamped envelopes, money orders, and other items that are more commonly found in a post office. This has led rural carriers’ vehicles to be nicknamed 'post offices on wheels.'” 

She goes on to say, "Carriers often purchased metal cash boxes to keep money and other valuables safe and secure during their daily rounds. Many RFD cash boxes had storage compartments and shelves. All could be secured with a padlock, also to be purchased by the carrier."

Shown above, a rural carrier cash box.

To read the entire article, click here.