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Toledo Magazine: History of Mail Delivery

Postal-Service-right-hand-jeep

The first American car in thirty years to feature a right-hand drive came off the Willy's Motors Assembly Line in Toledo. The Jeep vehicle was made especially to order for the U.S. Post Office Department and was used on suburban mail routes in Toledo, Ohio.

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RFD-Carrier-Charles-Kent

Charles Kent, a Rural Free Delivery carrier for Route 7, prepares to take mail to northwest Ohio's rural families in this undated photo. The Rural Free Delivery system revolutionized postal service for farm families, allowing delivery of "every man's mail to every man's door."

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RFD-carrier-Charles-Hicks

RFD carrier Charles L. Hicks tucks bundles of Toledo mail under his arm in this undated photo.

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old-Toledo-Post-Office

The Toledo Post Office, date unknown

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RFD-carrier-Fred-Nau-Wormer

RFD carrier Fred A. Nau Wormer used a horse-drawn carriage to delivery mail along Toledo's Route 9.

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RFD-carrier-Arthur-Barnes

Arthur E. Barnes delivered to Rural Route 8.

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post-office-armored-cab-1928

Men look over an armored cab for the U.S. Post Office Department in this April 18,1928, photo.

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Post-Office-Langrange-Street

Toledo Post Office Station D on Lagrange Street in Toledo in this undated photo.

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1920-Toledo-mail-carriers

Some of the Toledo Post Office Mail Carriers in 1920. From left, front row: Charles Koch, Robert Evans, Clyde Roder, John Bolinger, Mr. Silliman, Arthur Krum and Carl Boellnar; second row, Phil Kind, Pearl Dolan, Gabriel, unidentified, Merle Kettleman, and George Brim; third row, Earnest Vetter, Mack Gardner, Walter Dunn and Frank Hoffman; back row, Gus Cousins, Archie Hackley, Dave Washington, unidentified, Gus Keating and Robert Jeska.

THE BLADE/file photo/M.E. Silliman
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TOLEDO-POST-OFFICE-1922-Jefferson-Center

A mail truck is backed into the loading dock of the Toledo Post Office in this 1922 photo. The site became Toledo Public Schools' Jefferson Center, where hundreds of Head Start students met in 2011.

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De-Lawter-Prsybylski

Mrs. George De Lawter, left, of 1809 Broadway, looks over the new ZIP code information from postal carrier Sue Prsybylski in this Oct 13,1966, photo.

THE BLADE/file photo
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Frank-Mrkva-postal-truck-Willys-Motors

Frank Mrkva checks out one of the first 99 trucks ordered by the Post Office Department from Willys Motors Inc. in this Dec. 15, 1958, photo. The trucks, used for snow removal and mail box maintenance, cost $276,564 for the total order and were sent throughout the country.

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Detroit-River-Post-Office-Station-mailboat

The Detroit River Post Office Station serves sailors on the Great Lakes by mailboat in this June 28, 1971, file photo.

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post-office-stamp-dispensing-machings

Fast forward to the modern era, with customers being able to purchase stamps from dispensing machines like these, one for booklets on the left and one for singles, at the main office of the United States Postal Service office in Toledo.

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Charles-Nugester-post-office-retail

Postal clerk Charles Nungester shows off some of the items for sale at the Main Post Office retail office downtown on Feb 4, 1998.

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Linda-Pembeton-mail-sort

Linda Pembeton sorts mail at the main post office in Toledo on Nov. 25, 1998.

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211-boxes-soldiers-Marie-Campbell

Postal employee Marie Campbell had to weigh each of the 211 boxes to determine the correct shipping charge Nov. 29, 2006, for packages being sent to U.S. troops deployed overseas.

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letters-to-Santa-Susan-Banks

USPS employee Susan Banks laughs Dec. 19, 2007, while reading a piece of mail from a stack of "letters to Santa" that the Main Post Office received that year during the Christmas season. The post office tries to respond to every one of the hundreds of letters and cards that they receive. In the background are countless letters from the community that the employees used to decorate "Santa's Workshop."

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mail-carrier-Monique-Ulch

U.S. postal carrier Monique Ulch delivers mail in snowy conditions along Jackman Road in Toledo on Feb. 12, 2008.

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Skeldon-mail-carriers-dogs

Mail carriers Dan Miller, left, and Judy Kossow, right, listen as Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon teaches carriers how to deal with potentially vicious dogs they may encounter on their routes May 8, 2008 at the Monroe Street post office.

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mail-Rachelle-Roy-Howard-Johnson

Toledo mail carrier Rachelle Roy delivers mail to Howard Johnson as he shovels his sidewalk on Belmont on Dec. 19, 2008.

The Blade/Lori King
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mail-Larnetta-Lane-John-Cole

Larnetta Lane, right, looks at her mail Feb. 5, 2009, while postman John Cole looks up to check out insulation progress on the roof.

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Basem-Mufleh-St-Clair-post-office

Basem Mufleh heads a long line waiting to mail packages at the St. Clair Post Office on Dec. 21, 2009.

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mail-Bob-Collins-Kelly-Luck-Tyson-dog

Postal worker Bob Collins, right, stops to ask Kelly Luck, left, about the recovery of her dog Tyson from being shot while on his mail route in her neighborhood on July 1, 2010.

The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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John-Flick-mail-sort-downtown

John Flick sorts mail at the downtown sorting facility March 2, 2011.

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Sunny-Swan-Ebony-Burks-mail-sort

Sunny Swan, left, and Ebony Burks sort mail downtown on March 2, 2011.

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Terry-Robinson-mail-sort

Terry Robinson sorts mail at the downtown sorting facility March 2, 2011.

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postal-meeting-Richard-Brust

Toledo postal worker Richard Brust, left, listens during the U.S. Postal Service's public meeting Dec. 29, 2011, at the Stranahan Theater to explain why it wants to move mail processing out of the downtown Toledo facility.

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