Boat Railway Post Office
Encyclopedia
Post
was transported over water in the United States
in the later nineteenth and the twentieth century.
(RPO) clerks were placed on inland boat lines at a very early date; postmarks go back to 1857. By the 1890s the famed river packets and steamers on the Ohio
and Mississippi
rivers usually carried RPO mail units, such as the old Cairo & Memphis, and the Vicksburg & New Orleans. Many lakes boasted of this service. In 1902, 82 clerks were serving on 49 boat routes. The last year-round service of this type was in the state of Washington; the Bellingham & Anacortes lasted until 1950.
The longest Boat RPOs operated between New York and San Juan, Puerto Rico
, New York and Canal Zone
, plus several routes from Seattle, Washington to Alaska
ports. These were all discontinued with the on-set of World War II
.
& Merrymount RPO lost its Boat RPO status upon its last trip of the season on Lake Winnipesaukee
on September 15, 1978. The title "RPO" was completely erased when the New Hampshire RPO closed its operating season on September 30, 1978. These two boat routes still carry mail and operate as water-borne rural free delivery routes, but no longer have their distinctive RPO postmark.
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
was transported over water in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the later nineteenth and the twentieth century.
Origins
Route Agents and, later, Railway Post OfficeRailway post office
In the United States a railway post office, commonly abbreviated as RPO, was a railroad car that was normally operated in passenger service as a means to sort mail en route, in order to speed delivery. The RPO was staffed by highly trained Railway Mail Service postal clerks, and was off-limits to...
(RPO) clerks were placed on inland boat lines at a very early date; postmarks go back to 1857. By the 1890s the famed river packets and steamers on the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
rivers usually carried RPO mail units, such as the old Cairo & Memphis, and the Vicksburg & New Orleans. Many lakes boasted of this service. In 1902, 82 clerks were serving on 49 boat routes. The last year-round service of this type was in the state of Washington; the Bellingham & Anacortes lasted until 1950.
The longest Boat RPOs operated between New York and San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, New York and Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
, plus several routes from Seattle, Washington to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
ports. These were all discontinued with the on-set of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Last services
Two Boat RPOs outlived their railway route counterparts. The last rail route made its final trip between New York and Washington, DC on June 30, 1977. The WolfboroWolfeboro, New Hampshire
Wolfeboro is a town in Carroll County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 6,269 at the 2010 census. A venerable resort area situated beside Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro includes the village of Wolfeboro Falls...
& Merrymount RPO lost its Boat RPO status upon its last trip of the season on Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. It is approximately long and from wide , covering — when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of ....
on September 15, 1978. The title "RPO" was completely erased when the New Hampshire RPO closed its operating season on September 30, 1978. These two boat routes still carry mail and operate as water-borne rural free delivery routes, but no longer have their distinctive RPO postmark.