Show U S post 0 ce Is years old first station organized in 1639 at boston to sell wine and strong water boston two hundred and eighty four years ago the first post office in the united stites was established lu in boston and the celebration of the anniversary tills this month recalled the manner of its founding it had been the custom in those days for the citizens of boston to troop on board the packets which arrived from oyer overseas peas in quest of lotters letters and other tidings from england that was all ali very well for a while but as the population grew the habit became it a nuisance to the skippers shippers who objected to having their decks made impromptu delivery offices and tho the none too spacious quarters below crowded with men and wom women en so the general court as the massachusetts chu legislature always has been called stepped in in 1638 it ruled t that h a t richard fairbanks on the site of whose homo home the boston globe building now stands was to tako take charge of and distribute letters from froio abroad for preventing pro venting the miscarriage of letters the quaint order read and it Is ordered that notice be given that richard Ill chard fairbanks his house in boston Is the place appointed for all letters which are brought from beyond the seas or are to bo be sent hither are to bee brought unto an hoo heo la Is to take care that they bee delivered or sent according to their directions and heo Is allowed for every such letter a penny olven given liquor permit john winthrop was governor when fairbanks was appointed the latter had find a permit to sell wine and strong water and over hla his bar the men of 0 boston sipp sipped ed their ale and read their mall mail and talked of the tidings from far away fairbanks acted as postmaster un til 1077 in january 1073 1673 the general court made provision for a domestic postal service the carriers carr lera to be paid three pence per mile for their ices cea twenty years later the amerl catl cati post office was established aud and in 1605 a coach and mall service was begun between boston and hartford |