Privies mail

A blast from the past!

"Privies Mail" is a colloquialism that was commonly used in the United States, particularly in rural areas, during the mid-20th century. It refers to a type of rural mail delivery service where mail was delivered to a central location, often a general store or a post office, and then distributed to individual households by a rural mail carrier.

In the days before widespread use of automobiles and paved roads, mail delivery in rural areas was often challenging. Mail carriers would travel long distances on horseback or by foot, and it was impractical to deliver mail directly to individual homes. As a result, a system was developed where mail was delivered to a central location, such as a general store or post office, and then distributed to the surrounding households.

The term "privies mail" is thought to have originated from the fact that the mail was often delivered to a small, enclosed area or "privy" at the back of the general store or post office. This area was often used as a makeshift mail sorting and distribution center.

While the term "privies mail" is no longer commonly used today, it remains a nostalgic reminder of a bygone era in rural mail delivery. With the advent of modern transportation and communication technologies, mail delivery has become more efficient and widespread, and the need for central mail distribution points has largely disappeared.