Postal System Collection

The interior of a French sorting office, 1850
3478530 The interior of a French sorting office, 1850; (add.info.: Illustration depicting the interior of a French sorting office in Paris. Dated 19th Century.); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Ralph Allens Town House, Bath (b / w photo)
3094865 Ralph Allens Town House, Bath (b/w photo) by English Photographer, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Ralph Allens Town House, Bath)

Statue of the late Sir Rowland Hill (engraving)
585514 Statue of the late Sir Rowland Hill (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Statue of the late Sir Rowland Hill)

Meeting the new postmistress, early 1900s
Townspeople meeting their new postmistress, about 1905. Hand-colored halftone reproduction of a 1905 illustration

Ring Of Kerry, Co Kerry, Ireland; Post Office

Rider arriving with the mail on a post road
Old-time post-rider trumpeting the arrival of the mail. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

The Mail Coach (litho)
XIR375750 The Mail Coach (litho) by Adam, Victor (1801-66); Musee de la Ville de Paris, Musee Carnavalet, Paris, France; (add.info)

Carrying United States Mail Across the Sierra Nevada in 1870, from American Pictures
KW187904 Carrying United States Mail Across the Sierra Nevada in 1870, from American Pictures, published by The Religious Tract Society, 1876 (engraving) by English School

Carrying United States Mail Across the Sierra Nevada in 1860, from American Pictures
KW187902 Carrying United States Mail Across the Sierra Nevada in 1860, from American Pictures, published by The Religious Tract Society, 1876 (engraving) by English School

Old Post Station on the Prairie, near Denver, c. 1870, from American Pictures
KW187901 Old Post Station on the Prairie, near Denver, c.1870, from American Pictures, published by The Religious Tract Society, 1876 (engraving) by English School

Stagecoach carrying mail to the southwest, 1870s
Mail delivered by stagecoach to a post office in the Southwest, 1870s. Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

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Step back in time and explore the rich history of the postal system through these captivating images. From Ralph Allen's Town House in Bath, where the Penny Post was born, to the statue of Sir Rowland Hill, the father of the Penny Post, this journey showcases the evolution of mail delivery. Witness the arrival of the new postmistress in the early 1900s, and travel to the Ring of Kerry in Co. Kerry, Ireland, where a local post office continues the tradition. Experience the thrill of anticipation as a rider brings the mail on a post road, or marvel at the efficiency of the mail coach. Brave the wilderness with mail carriers crossing the Sierra Nevada mountains in 1860 and 1870, or join the excitement of a stagecoach carrying mail to the southwest in the 1870s. These captivating glimpses into the past remind us of the enduring importance of communication and connection, even as methods and technology have evolved.