Before there were street addresses, how did the post office find people? Did the PO just sort it by name and?

Question

people came in and asked for their mail? Or did a postal carrier just walk up and down streets looking for the right people? What year did street addresses become law?

Answer 1

The US Post Office was established with the beginning of the government in the late eighteenth century. Letters were delivered to a post office, and could be called for there. Some postmasters would deliver letters if they knew the person and where they lived. The trick was getting paid. To obtain the letter, the recipient had to pay, based on the weight of the letter, and many times they simply wouldn't do it. In Naples, NY, in the early 1800s, the newspapers would print lists of people who had letters waiting for them at the post office. I am sure that other places did this as well.

Answer 2

Even as late as the 1950's you could address a piece of mail with a name and a city/state, without an address or just say general delivery, and in smaller towns the mail would get to that person. But addresses have been used on US mail since the inception of the post office by Ben Franklin. I have examples of mail from the 1790's that list the name, the name of the street the person lived on and the city. No street numbers though.

Answer 3

The lady without a name speaks better than she knows. Yes it was just like that: the addresses were 'Opposite the White Hart and next to the draper's shop.' I've seen them written on old British letters.

Answer 4

They just sent the post men or women out with a big paper that says pass this rock and then turn left at the dieing tree and then the shack is on your left... lol nah im just playing, wish i could help you out.

Answer 5

i imagine there were telegrams first. the street addresses would have come before the post office.

Answer 6

What country are you asking about?