Row mail

Row mail! That's a blast from the past. Row mail, also known as rural free delivery (RFD), was a system used in the United States and other countries to deliver mail to rural areas. Here's a brief overview:

History: Row mail was introduced in the United States in the late 19th century to improve mail delivery to rural areas. Prior to this, mail was often delivered by stagecoaches or horseback riders, which was slow and unreliable.

How it worked: Row mail involved a network of rural mail carriers who would deliver mail to individual homes and farms along a specific route, often on foot or by horseback. The mail carriers would carry a large bag or satchel containing mail for multiple recipients, and would deliver it to each household along the route.

Features: Row mail routes were typically designated by a specific route number, and mail carriers would carry a route book or map to help them navigate the route. Mail was sorted and delivered at a central post office or rural post office, and then carried to the individual homes by the mail carrier.

Impact: Row mail played a significant role in connecting rural communities to the rest of the world, enabling people to communicate with each other and access goods and services more easily. It also helped to promote economic development and social connections in rural areas.

Decline: With the advent of automobiles and improved road infrastructure, row mail routes began to decline in the mid-20th century. Many rural areas were connected to urban centers by paved roads, making it easier for mail to be delivered by truck or car. Today, row mail is largely a relic of the past, although some rural areas still use this system.

Legacy: Row mail may be a thing of the past, but its legacy lives on in the form of rural postal routes and the dedicated mail carriers who continue to serve rural communities.