A Little Postal History
From Researching 1893 For My Book
In 1893 Rural Mail Carrier, Carl Frick, delivered the U.S. mail by mule to the post office in the Arley Store in Kearney, Missouri where residents picked it up until Rural Free Delivery around 1910. He rode a mule because he couldn’t afford a horse. The pictures below show the outside and inside of the actual furnishings of that post office. You can see them in person, as well as the picture of Carl Frick, at the Kearney Historic Museum. This is where Emeline would have sent and picked up her postcards and letters.
Carl Frick, 1st Rural Mail Carrier in Kearney, MO - 1893
Around 1910, the Rural Free Delivery started. (R.F.D.) Until then, you had to go to town to send or pick up mail at the general store.
I thought this would be a suitable topic today since our “forever stamps” are going up again in June this year — to $.66. (stock up)
There’s A LOT of history about the U.S. Post Office! Did you know Benjamin Franklin was our first postmaster in 1775? Watch the Smithsonian’s brief video about this branch of our government.
Kids - if you’re looking to write a paper about something historic, this would be a fun subject to research.
Pretty tulips in our front yard. :)