How the Post Office Created America: A History

A historical look at a vital American institution

I came across this audiobook during the controversy surrounding the alleged intentional slowdown in mail processing associated with the run up to the 2020 presidential election.  I’ve always had an affinity for the U.S. Postal Service.  For me, it’s kind of personal, because my father worked as a mail handler for the USPS for 36 years. So, initially this title piqued my interest and I soon found myself drawn into the story. 

This book begins by describing how the then US Post Office Department, which was established 1792, played a unique role in the formation of our country.  After the American Revolution concluded, and the British were defeated, the United States was “united” in name only. At that point, it was just a collection of 13 states.  However, their desire to communicate among each other was one of the things that eventually drew them together. The need to create an efficient and reliable postal service spawned a boom in transportation capacity and infrastructure in the former colonies, which helped to bring this fledgling union of independent states together.  

How the Post Office Created America chronicles the history and challenges of the postal service since its inception. Readers will learn how over the history of our nation the delicate tension between business interests on the one hand, and its role as an equitable public service on the other, has shaped this institution into one that is considered a vital resource and is still beloved by the majority of Americans.