Postal History 19th Century Wisconsin 1845-1902

The United States Postal Service was the basis of the information infrastructure in Wisconsin in the 19^th century. The mail carried news from home to recent immigrants, domestic news from the larger cities of the eastern seaboard, postcards, books, newspapers, catalogs, and (eventually) parcels. After parcels were approved for delivery by U.S. Mail in 1861, and the subsequent advent of mail-order businesses, families "on the frontier" had access to a greater variety of consumer goods. Postmasters and mail carriers left their marks on Wisconsin history in a variety of ways, from artistic methods of canceling postage to a permanent name change of Wisconsin's largest city. Select any of the following links to find out more about the effect of the U.S. Postal Service on the daily life of the average 19^th century Wisconsin resident.

• Timeline-- Important dates in Wisconsin postal history

• People -- Stories about colorful postal employees

• Postmarks and Cancellations -- Artistic expression and technological innovation

• Citations -- Literature references

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