July 27, 1775 – Foundation of U.S. Post Office

July 26, 1775. The US Continental Congress creates the United States Post Office (U.S.P.O.) in Philadelphia and of course, they appointed Benjamin Franklin to be the first Postmaster General.

Franklin had been a postmaster for decades and was a natural choice for the position.

He had just returned from England and was appointed chairman of a Committee of Investigation to establish a postal system.

Congress considered establishment of a postal service crucial for the future of the 13 colonies and adopted the committees recommendations on July 26th.

Congress also set the pay for the new office. The U.S. Postmaster was to be paid a salary of $1000 per year. The secretary and Comptroller were to receive $340 dollars a year.

Congress also ordered that a line of postal branches were to be established from Falmouth in New England to Savannah in Georgia,

The official post office we know today was created in 1792 as the Post Office Department (USPOD).