The West Point Post Office, 1815–1981: Keeping It All in the Family— Nepotism, Paternalism, Political Patronage… and Dedication to the Corps!

Large Vermeil Award Winner in 2024 APS Great American Stamp Show Literature Competition!In 1775, on the west point of a bend in the Hudson River about 50 miles north of New York City, General George Washington and the Continental Army established a military stronghold to prevent the British from sailing northward to upstate New York during the American Revolution. The fortress they subsequently built became known as West Point.On March 16, 1802, President Thomas Jefferson authorized the establishment of the United States Military Academy at West Point. It is the oldest of our nation’s service academies. Each year, approximately 1,000 graduates are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. Today it remains the oldest, continuously operating military base in the United States.In 1815, the first permanent post office was established at West Point to serve the cadets, staff, and faculty of the Military Academy. The history of the West Point Post Office presents a unique perspective on the history of West Point, its surrounding political jurisdictions, and the U.S. Post Office Department. The West Point Post Office, 1815–1981 tells this story through the people, events, and postal history specific to this institution. The West Point Post Office, 1815-1981 is the most comprehensive and thoroughly researched history of West Point's post office ever published. It is profusely illustrated, and annotated in detail to promote further research. Those interested in either postal or military history will find it provides a unique perspective on the U.S. Military Academy as well as U.S. Post Office Department.What others say...“This book is a must-have for everyone - soldiers, philatelists, and everyday Americans - who remembers receiving “snail mail” from the local post office as an important part of our daily lives. For all Cadets, the West Point Post Office was our 4-year link with family, friends, and the rest of the outside world. Letters from home were our main respite from the hectic grind of academics and discipline. Mail Call meant meaningful thrills for Cadets, who exchanged love letters with their sweethearts – which often led to weddings at the West Point Chapels. Kudos to our unseen but hard-working Postmasters, for a job well-done!The growth of the West Point Post Office parallels the growth of the USA. It starts with a letter carrier - mounted on horseback -- carrying mail to and from General George Washington. The author then takes the reader through its 166 years of changes, transfers and growth, until it meets the challenges of the Computer Age by managing an array of 4,000+ P.O. Boxes (one per Cadet). Indeed, everyone who has sent or received a letter from West Point will find this "biography" of the West Point Post Office a fascinating read!” Brigadier General Ramon M. Ong (Retired) Armed Forces of the Philippines Read more