Before the Internet became popular and communicating changed from a once-a-month telegram to a once-a-minute chat message, it was a lot more difficult for people to talk to one another. Letters would travel in person, instead of through Ethernet cords, and could take weeks or months to get from their point of origin to a destination. They were not guaranteed to reach the receiver and, if they did, were not always in the best of shape. Thankfully the U.S. Postal Service has improved since then. These are some interesting ways that mail has traveled:
By dog sled
During the Klondike Gold Rush in Alaska, people and goods traveled by dog-sled teams through the cold and snowy state. The only way for miners to communicate with their families or people who would buy their gold was through letters that traveled by dog sled. Today the method is still used to reach remote villages throughout Alaska, but part of the journey for both the mail and people is often made via plane or helicopter. An aircraft will make a drop of items like groceries and fuel at a larger village and then a dog-sled team may be used to escort the goods to their final destinations in nearby villages. The mail is definitely a bit slower in this part of the world than in more populated, easy-to-traverse areas.
By camel
In Australia, the post was delivered by camels up until 1929, when the railroad usurped the need for the ungulates. Before the railroad and motor cars became popular, camels carried people and goods across the country for centuries. They didn’t travel as quickly or efficiently as the new trains and they also spit a lot more, so it was probably for the best when the trains took over.
By pigeon
Homing and carrier pigeons were used during the Franco-Prussian War to communicate between the French provisional government and the capital. The birds carried messages about fight strategies and battles, warning the recipients about possible impending danger and saving thousands of lives. Sending mail by pigeon has been used for centuries because of the birds’ impressive ability to navigate and remember their home base. Fanciers, or people who train pigeons, have long been honored for the work they have done to teach the birds to become useful for delivery purposes. Militaries around the world have used the birds to communicate, some even creating specialized vehicles and boats to house their pigeon soldiers. Today, pigeon mail is a fun hobby for individuals with the time and space to care for the birds. You have to admit, it would be pretty fun to send a pigeon off with birthday cards for clients. I can only imagine the recipient’s face when the bird holds out its leg and expects them to untie their card.
By drone
The future of mail just might involve the use of drones. Amazon and Google are just two popular retailers that have made moves to use drones for delivery purposes. According to Forbes, the companies may be able to begin their inventive delivery method in Europe sooner than in the U.S. due to different laws for remotely piloted aircrafts. It’ll be a while before your new phone case or customized thermos is delivered via drone.