Published July 17, 2012

A Fascinating Look at the U.S. Mail Delivery in 1903

Take a step back in time and watch this fascinating film from 1903, showing the U.S. mail delivery in rural Washington, D.C. Complete with a postal employee, metal mail box, and a woman purchasing stamps. | Ghosts of DC

Here is film that I came across in the Library of Congress’ archives. It was shot on August 8th, 1903 in rural Washington, D.C. and is completely fascinating. Times have changed … just a little bit.

The film shows the delivery of U.S. mail by a two-horse vehicle. The postal employee gets out of the wagon and places mail in a standard metal mail box. A woman comes out of her house and removes the mail from the mail box, then buys stamps from the mail carrier as the picture ends.