Owens style letter collection box

[Northwest_explorer]

Has anyone seen old letter collection boxes in your neighborhood. Are they still in use?

The letter collection box were olive green with the embossed word "LETTERS" on the front of the box (Box size is approximately 12 in wide by 18 in high). They were either mounted on posts or on street lights in neigborhoods in the 1930's until ?? and numbered in the thousands. Some may still be in use in some areas of the country but were replaced by the larger modern letter/package boxes. The link to the letter collection box one on the national postal musuem website is as follows:


http://www.arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=2&cmd=1&id=17899


These boxes were almost on every street corner at one time. Is it still possible to get one that is no longer in use? Any ideas...the postal service says they send all old postal boxes to scrap.

[Lisa S]

Not in my neighborhood, but I do remember them.

[drdrip]

What will you do with that kind of letter box. Now a days such only bills and bank statements are coming. People are using email, telephone, mobile phone and satelite phones.

People are no longer using postal mail. So what was the reason of asking for such inbox.

[shabbychick]

I haven't seen these for many years. I haven't even seen any reproductions. You might find something similar here: http://www.seattleluxe.com/mailboxes/mailboxes.php though I didn't see an exact replica. Maybe it's a design that is protected by a patent or something. I remember the good old days when the letter carrier used to bring the mail right to our front porch and put it in the box on our porch post. That was also when the insurance man used to come once a month with his great big book and visit awhile with my mom, collect her check, and then be off to his next stop.

[Lisa S]

I saw one of those letter boxes inside a Macy's store in downtown Portland. They sure speak to a different time in our culture. I hate to lose stuff like that!

[mavgal]

What will you do with that kind of letter box. Now a days such only bills and bank statements are coming. People are using email, telephone, mobile phone and satelite phones.

People are no longer using postal mail. So what was the reason of asking for such inbox.

Not True. I get lots of magazines each month, which is why the older mailboxes are too small, the magazines would get wet since the postal delivery person won't put such items out of the rain (I have a tin milk box on my porch for items that won't fit in the mailbox, but they rarely use it). Besides, there are still people that like to send hand written items like birthday cards (I don't care for emailed birthday cards, call me old fashioned!) That said, I wish I had the old style mailbox that was at my house when I bought it, I sold it at a garage sale about 5 years ago, it was cute, dang it! It was similar to the ones shown above, but not cast iron.

[LindaLK]

Good Morning Everyone, :)


I haven`t seen that particular kind of mail box here in New England, but they may have been before my time.


I have to agree....I much rather receive cards that are hand written. I save each and everyone of them for keepsakes. You can`t do that with the e~mailed kind.


Enjoy the day everyone!!



Hugs,
Linda :)