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Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008

Photos from the Vault: When the post office first teamed up with Mr. ZIP

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AUGUST 7, 1963

Ripped from the headlines of the Telegram- Tribune…ZIP code is a hoax!

All these years you have been addressing letters, filling in forms and typing in boxes numbers that don’t do anything. At least that is the thrust of this semihumorous article by staff writer Gil Bailey.

ZIP codes became the way to address June 1, 1963 (although it would take until 1967 before they were made mandatory for second-and third-class bulk mailers).

Bailey wrote about Les Macrae who had a friend mail two letters from Long Island to San Luis Obispo, one with a ZIP, one without.

Both letters arrived at the same time—about 64 hours after they were initially mailed.

The post office was making the transition from rail to truck transportation and tailoring its system for business mail.

Now everyone uses it —and its improved “ZIP + 4,” which debuted in 1983 — from the post office, credit card companies and marketing firms to competing delivery services like UPS.

But you heard it here first.

It is all part of the vast post office conspiracy, no doubt in league with the ink companies to pump up ink prices.