The United States Postal Service (USPS) does not have an official motto and never has. Many people believe that the English translation of an ancient Greek quotation was officially adopted as the US Postal Service motto. Translated by George H. Palmer, a professor at Harvard University, the English translation is: “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” Although this is not the official US Postal Service motto, the quotation has been displayed at many post offices around the US.
More facts about the US Postal Service:
- Benjamin Franklin was the first Postmaster General, serving for a period of 15 months during the administration of President George Washington.
- ZIP Codes™ were first introduced in 1963 as part of the Zoning Improvement Plan. The codes are arranged generally from east to west, with the lowest codes in New England and the highest codes in Alaska.
- For many years, citizens in Loma Linda, California, received mail delivery on Sundays rather than Saturdays. A majority of the residents of the city are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which holds Saturday as its primary day of worship. Sunday deliveries were discontinued in April 2011 and replaced by Saturday deliveries as part of USPS efforts to trim expenses.
By Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum, a former teleconferencing industry professional, followed his passion for trivia, research, and writing to become a full-time freelance writer. He has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including America Explained, and his work has also been featured in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and newspapers. When not writing, Malcolm enjoys collecting vinyl records, following minor league baseball, and cycling.