Postal History Symposium

Save the Date!  The USPCS is partnering with the National Postal Museum, the American Philatelic Research Library, the American Philatelic Society to host a Virtual Postal History Symposium from October 26 – 30.

Postal Innovation of the Classic Era – Evolution Leading to Modernization

From the earliest days of philately in the United States, the Classic Era of American postal history has come to define one of the greatest periods of postal innovation. From the time of stampless delivery, whose cost was borne by the recipient, to pre-paid letters carried by private mail carriers and provisional post offices, culminating in a preliminary system of universal prepayment requiring the creation, issuance and application of postage stamps, this era of American postal history was replete with many significant innovators and innovation that lead in time to the development and growth of a formalized modern postal system. Along with the United States, many other countries played an equally important role in the evolution and progress of postal history with creators and ideas that greatly contributed and furthered postal development into the modern age.

Just as postal history has evolved to meet new challenges, so does philately!  Due to health and safety concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the symposium will be taking advantage of modern technology and moving forward as a virtual event.

Speakers & Presentations

Virtual presentations on the Postal Innovation theme will be hosted by the APS and NPM.  Members can listen to speakers from home through the Zoom application, using a computer or phone. You must register for each session you attend – this can be done in advance, or right up to the start of the presentation.

– CLICK HERE to register for sessions –

Schedule of Events (All times Eastern)

Monday, October 26

• 10:00 AM Keynote Address: “Postal Innovation in the Classic Era” – Scott R. Trepel
• 2:00 PM “Rise of the American Post 1639-1776” – Timothy O’Connor
• 5:30 PM – “Postal History of the Issue of 1847” – Gordon Eubanks

Wednesday, October 28

• 10:00 AM “Mails of Navassa Island, The Original Overseas United States Possession, 1876-1898” – Ken Lawrence
• 2:00 PM  “Government Post in Hawaii: Creation and Reform – 1849 – 1859” – Fred Gregory
• 5:30 PM  “U.S. Post Riders in Spanish West Florida, 1801-1810” – Yamil Kouri, Jr.

Thursday, October 29

• 10:00 AM “Evolution of Intercity Mail Transportation Modes 1840-1880: Insights from Postmaster General Annual Reports” – William DeWitt, III
• 2:00 PM “Toll Gates & Toll Houses: Assistance or Hindrance for Mail Delivery Modes” – William Schultz
• 5:30 PM “Blazing Trails for the Westward Expansion, 1832-1849” – Steven Walske

Friday, October 30

• 10:00 AM “Confederate States of America: Postal Innovation during the Civil War” – Patricia Kaufmann
• 2:00 PM “The ‘Special’ Postalization of Locale” – Robert Dalton Harris and Diane DeBlois
• 5:30 PM “The New York Postmaster Provisional” – Mark Schwartz

Exhibits

1. Boston Postal History to 1851 – Mark Schwartz
2. Contract Overland Routes into the American West: 1832 to 1851 – Steven Walske
3. Cross-Border Mail via the Cunard Line: Mail Carried Between the United States and Halifax, 1840-1867 – David D’Alessandris
4. Design and Uses of the USA 3c Denomination 1861-1869 – Jan Hofmeyr
5. Fire on the Water – Steamboat Mail in New York: 1808 to 1845 – Dan Ryterband
6. First Federally Issued Postage Stamps – Gordon Eubanks
7. How the Post Facilitated Distribution of the Printed Word 1775-1870 – Roland H. Cipolla II
8. Philadelphia-Great Britain Mails, 1683 to GPU – John Barwis
9. Pre-U.P.U. Rates Between the U.S. and the German States – Dwayne Littauer
10. The First United States 12c Stamp Series of 1851-1861 – Jim Allen
11. The Mails of Navassa Island – Ken Lawrence
12. The New York Postmaster Provisional – Mark Schwartz
13. The U.S. Retaliatory Rate of June – December 1848 – Mark Schwartz
14. The United States Imperforate Issues of 1851-1856 – Gordon Eubanks

More details to come…

Watch this page for further updates!