'Nor Dark of Night' Stops the Postman

Much has changed throughout the evolution of mail delivery in America. To a generation accustomed to receiving many of their correspondences over a handheld computer or cell phone, even a walk to the mailbox may at times seem laborious.

Little do many people realize, however, that even the convenience of a dropoff and pick-up spot for mail on their own property could be considered a modern luxury. Much of the mail first delivered in America, more than a century before the "Post Office Department" was formed in 1792, was delivered to a central location such as a local tavern. There, patrons would pick up their mail or perhaps even accept a package on behalf of a neighbor before hand-delivering it to its rightful recipient.

In a sense, the postal service has come full-circle: In a recent interview, Postmaster Patrick Donahoe made predictions on what the future of mail delivery in the U.S. will look like. Part of the equation in years to come likely will include scaling back the number of days that mail is deliverered each week. In addition, of course, to the role email has played in reducing the use of first-class mail, a proliferation of drop-off spots located inside stores has once again become integral to how the U.S.P.S. operates.

In a featured on Ballwin-Ellisville Patch, we reported on a review process involving thousands of post offices under consideration for closing. Although the is not under such a review, those that are were influenced in part by "expanded access locations" including ATMs, grocery stores and self-service kiosks, all of which have contributed to a reduced need for physical post offices.

In the early and mid-1900s, however, Ballwin and cities like it enjoyed a much different form of postal service:

"During most of that period, mail came twice a day, at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Arriving at Barrett's Station on the train, it was shuttled to Ballwin by John Bopp, who ran the bus line between there and Ballwin," wrote historian David Fiedler in the book, "Images of America: Ballwin."