July 26: First U.S. Post Office opens

Stamp use in the United States started in 1847

On this day in 1775, the U.S. postal system is established with Benjamin Franklin as its first postmaster general. Prior to that, mail was typically left at inns and taverns.

Among other improvements, Franklin also debuted the first rate chart, which standardized delivery costs based on distance and weight.

Read more at http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-postal-system-established