Rural Free Delivery wagon model

1899

“The Postman” is one of five quarter-sized specimen wagons built by the Terre Haute Carriage and Wagon Company in the late nineteenth century for the Post Office Department’s Rural Free Delivery (RFD) service. This is one of two Rural Free Delivery wagon models produced by the company for the Department that is the in National Postal Museum’s collections (the other is #0.052985.277). A working model, it has the sliding doors and windows of the finished product. According to company advertising “The Postman” also had “Sarven, non-malleable wheels, cushion springs, and a 1,000 mile long-distance axle.” The four-wheeled wagon was designed to be used with either one or two horses, was equipped with sliding doors and “storm proof” windows, built-in drawers for holding postal supplies and pigeonholes for mail. The wagons, made from hickory and ash with poplar panels, were painted by hand.