Cancellation car mail
You're referring to a "Cancellation Car Mail"!
Cancellation Car Mail, also known as "Cancellation Mail" or "Car Mail," was a type of mail service that was popular in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a unique way for people to send mail, where a car or a vehicle would be used to transport mail between two points, often over long distances.
Here's how it worked:
- A mail carrier would load mail into a car or vehicle, which would then travel to a designated destination.
- The mail would be sorted and delivered along the way, often at designated stops or post offices.
- The mail carrier would then return to the starting point, bringing back any undeliverable mail or mail that needed to be returned to the sender.
Cancellation Car Mail was often used for rural areas where traditional mail routes were not feasible or where the terrain was difficult to navigate. It was also used for special events, such as festivals or fairs, where mail would be sent to and from the event location.
Some interesting facts about Cancellation Car Mail:
- The first recorded use of Cancellation Car Mail was in 1873 in the United States.
- The service was popularized by the United States Postal Service (USPS) in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
- Cancellation Car Mail was often used for sending packages, letters, and even newspapers.
- The service was eventually phased out in the mid-20th century as more efficient and cost-effective methods of mail delivery were developed.
Today, Cancellation Car Mail is mostly a nostalgic reminder of a bygone era, but it's still an interesting piece of postal history!