Post Office Department

E13972

The Post Office Department was the former cabinet-level agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for national mail delivery before its functions were transferred to the United States Postal Service in 1971.


Statements (44)
Predicate Object
instanceOf cabinet-level department of the United States government
former United States federal executive department
cabinetLevel yes
category Defunct agencies of the United States government
Postal system of the United States
United States federal executive departments
country United States
dissolvedDate 1971
July 1, 1971
function administration of postal services
national mail delivery in the United States
governmentAgencyType cabinet department responsible for postal affairs
governmentBranch Executive Branch of the United States
headOfGovernmentBody Postmaster General of the United States
headquartersLocation Washington, D.C.
historicalRole primary provider of mail delivery in the United States before 1971
industry postal service
jurisdiction U.S. federal government
United States
legalSuccessor United States Postal Service
locationCountry United States
mandate maintain postal routes and post offices
provide reliable and efficient mail service
notableChange loss of cabinet status upon creation of the United States Postal Service in 1971
operatedBy United States federal government
oversight President of the United States
United States Congress
parentOrganization Executive Branch of the United States government
partOf federal government of the United States
positionHeldByHead United States Postmaster General
precededBy earlier colonial and Continental Congress postal systems
reasonForDissolution creation of an independent establishment, the United States Postal Service
reorganization of federal postal services
replaced Post Office (U.S. Postmaster General under the Post Office Department) by United States Postal Service structure
replacedBy United States Postal Service
responsibility domestic mail delivery
international mail services from the United States
postal regulation and operations
scope nationwide
serviceArea U.S. territories
United States
status defunct
subsequentForm independent establishment of the executive branch (United States Postal Service)
typeOfAgency postal administration

Referenced by (12)

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