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- August Edinger with Horse-Drawn Mail Wagon, circa 1933 - Officially adopted in 1896, Rural Free Delivery was a boon to residents who were previously required to collect their mail in the nearest town. Rural routes were long and served hundreds of customers, so carriers often purchased horse-drawn wagons to facilitate their perennial labor. Here, August Edinger of Kimmswick, Missouri, poses with the wagon he used from 1902 to 1925.
- circa 1933
- Collections - Artifact
August Edinger with Horse-Drawn Mail Wagon, circa 1933
Officially adopted in 1896, Rural Free Delivery was a boon to residents who were previously required to collect their mail in the nearest town. Rural routes were long and served hundreds of customers, so carriers often purchased horse-drawn wagons to facilitate their perennial labor. Here, August Edinger of Kimmswick, Missouri, poses with the wagon he used from 1902 to 1925.
- Rural Free Delivery in a Horse-Drawn Mail Delivery Wagon, 1895-1920 - Officially adopted by the Post Office Department in 1896, Rural Free Delivery was a boon to residents who were previously required to personally collect their mail in the nearest town. Rural routes were long and served hundreds of customers. To facilitate their perennial labor, carriers often purchased horse-drawn wagons like this, with a cash box, foot-warmer, and small sorting desk.
- 1895-1920
- Collections - Artifact
Rural Free Delivery in a Horse-Drawn Mail Delivery Wagon, 1895-1920
Officially adopted by the Post Office Department in 1896, Rural Free Delivery was a boon to residents who were previously required to personally collect their mail in the nearest town. Rural routes were long and served hundreds of customers. To facilitate their perennial labor, carriers often purchased horse-drawn wagons like this, with a cash box, foot-warmer, and small sorting desk.
- Mail Wagon Used for Rural Delivery in Missouri, 1902-1925 - Letter carrier August Edinger used this horse-drawn wagon to deliver mail around Kimmswick, Missouri, for more than 20 years. Sliding doors offered ventilation in summer, and a tiny coal stove provided heat in winter. Rural Free Delivery, instituted by the U.S. Post Office in 1896, eased the isolation felt by rural Americans and boosted mail-order businesses as well.
- 1902-1925
- Collections - Artifact
Mail Wagon Used for Rural Delivery in Missouri, 1902-1925
Letter carrier August Edinger used this horse-drawn wagon to deliver mail around Kimmswick, Missouri, for more than 20 years. Sliding doors offered ventilation in summer, and a tiny coal stove provided heat in winter. Rural Free Delivery, instituted by the U.S. Post Office in 1896, eased the isolation felt by rural Americans and boosted mail-order businesses as well.