Rural and Urban Origins of the U.S. Postal Service

As this brief history shows, the postal establishment struggled to adapt to the many ways the dispersed rural population differed from the concentrated urban population. Even though America has become an increasingly urban society, rural areas retain a distinct culture. The Postal Service is a part of that. This white paper brings an essential historical perspective and is the first in a larger body of OIG work to better understand the urban-rural divide and how it is exhibited through the Postal Service’s customers. Because the Postal Service has a binding effect on the community spirit and engagement with Americans, considerations of changes to the current service model require thoughtful evaluation of the impact on both urban and rural citizens.