U.S. Postal codes
 

Recently I came into an older wood lazy susan/turn table, made with loose bearings and rolls smoother that anything I've seen of newer manufacture.

The manufacture/distributors address is listed as, 166 NO. LA BREA, Hollywood 36, California.

My question's are...

1) When did the United states mail service become the United States Postal Service?

2) When did they change from postal codes to area codes?

Re: U.S. Postal codes
 

Hi Anthony!

You can check out the history of the USPS at:

http://www.usps.com/postalhistory/si...gnificantdates

In answer

1, the USPS started in 1971

2, postal codes became zip codes in 1963.

Re: U.S. Postal codes
 

Post Office Department became the US Postal Service on 8/12/1970.

Zip Code introduced in 1963.

Re: U.S. Postal codes
 

Actually Nixon signed the bill changing the Post Office designation in August 1970.

Re: U.S. Postal codes
 

but was it officially and fully changed over yet?

Re: U.S. Postal codes
 

From the USPS site:

Significant Dates

A quick glance at events.

1775 - Benjamin Franklin appointed first Postmaster General by the Continental Congress
1847 - U.S. postage stamps issued
1855 - Prepayment of postage required
1860 - Pony Express began
1863 - Free city delivery began
1873 - U.S. postal cards issued
1874 - General Postal Union (now Universal Postal Union) established
1893 - First commemorative stamps issued
1896 - Rural free delivery began
1913 - Parcel Post® began
1918 - Scheduled airmail service began
1950 - Residential deliveries reduced to one a day
1957 - Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee established
1963 - ZIP Code inaugurated
1970 - Express Mail® began experimentally
1971 - United States Postal Service® began operations
1971 - Labor contract negotiated through collective bargaining, a federal government "first"
1974 - Self-adhesive stamps tested
1982 - Last year Postal Service™ accepted public service subsidy
1983 - ZIP+4® Code began
1992 - Self-adhesive stamps introduced nationwide
1993 - National Postal Museum opened
1994 - Postal Service launched public Internet site
1998 - U.S. semipostal stamp issued
2006 - Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act signed
2007 - “Forever” stamp issued
2008 - Competitive pricing for expedited mail began

Want More Postal History?
See our 84-page illustrated booklet The United States Postal Service: An American History, 1775-2006. (PDF) (HTML)

Re: U.S. Postal codes
 

If we ever need anyone to "make sure the details are right" you guys are hired. :tu :D