Today in History — February 20

February 20, 1792 — President George Washington signed the Postal Service Act into law, formally establishing the United States Post Office and laying the groundwork for one of the nation’s oldest and most enduring federal institutions. The act expanded a postal system that had already been operating in some form since colonial times — Benjamin Franklin himself had served as the first Postmaster General — but this landmark legislation gave it official structure, setting postal rates and designating routes that would connect a young, sprawling nation from coast to coast.

At a time when a letter was often the only thread tying families, merchants, and statesmen together across vast distances, the Post Office wasn’t just a convenience — it was infrastructure for democracy itself. Newspapers traveled through the mail at reduced rates, ensuring that citizens from Georgia to Massachusetts could stay informed and engaged.

Over two centuries later, the United States Postal Service continues to deliver to every address in the country, rain or shine — a quiet, everyday reminder of a promise made on this day in 1792.