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ZIP Code
The ZIP Code system (an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan) is the system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service (USPS). The term ZIP was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently and quickly (zipping along) when senders include the code in the postal address. ZIP+4 is a registered trademark of the United States Postal Service, which also registered ZIP Code as a service mark until 1997, and which claims "ZIP Code" as a trademark though it is not registered.
Introduced on July 1, 1963, the basic format was five digits, the first designating a region of the country and subsequent digits localizing the destination further. In 1983, an extended code was introduced named ZIP+4; it included the five digits of the ZIP Code, followed by a hyphen and four digits that designated a location even more specific than the original five.
Private carriers and the USPS use ZIP Codes to route deliveries. In addition, ZIP Codes have become a basis for breaking down demographic, marketing, and sales data for analytical purposes.
The early history and context of postal codes began with postal district/zone numbers. The United States Post Office Department (USPOD) implemented postal zones for 124 large cities in May 1943. Postmaster General Frank C. Walker explained that many experienced postal clerks were going into the army, and the zone system would enable inexperienced clerks to sort mail without having to learn the delivery area of each city carrier.
For example:
Mr. John Smith
3256 Epiphenomenal Avenue
Minneapolis 16, Minnesota
The "16" is the number of the postal zone in a specific city.
By the early 1960s, a more organized system was needed. Non-mandatory five-digit ZIP Codes were introduced nationwide on July 1, 1963. The USPOD issued its Publication 59: Abbreviations for Use with ZIP Code on October 1, 1963, with the list of two-letter state abbreviations which are generally written with both letters capitalized. An earlier list, publicized in June 1963, had proposed capitalized abbreviations ranging from two to five letters. According to Publication 59, the two-letter standard was "based on a maximum 23-position line, because this has been found to be the most universally acceptable line capacity basis for major addressing systems", which would be exceeded by a long city name combined with a multi-letter state abbreviation, such as "Sacramento, Calif." along with the ZIP Code. The abbreviations have remained unchanged, except for Nebraska, which was changed from NB to NE in 1969 at the request of the Canada Post Corporation, to avoid confusion with New Brunswick.
ZIP Code
The ZIP Code system (an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan) is the system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service (USPS). The term ZIP was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently and quickly (zipping along) when senders include the code in the postal address. ZIP+4 is a registered trademark of the United States Postal Service, which also registered ZIP Code as a service mark until 1997, and which claims "ZIP Code" as a trademark though it is not registered.
Introduced on July 1, 1963, the basic format was five digits, the first designating a region of the country and subsequent digits localizing the destination further. In 1983, an extended code was introduced named ZIP+4; it included the five digits of the ZIP Code, followed by a hyphen and four digits that designated a location even more specific than the original five.
Private carriers and the USPS use ZIP Codes to route deliveries. In addition, ZIP Codes have become a basis for breaking down demographic, marketing, and sales data for analytical purposes.
The early history and context of postal codes began with postal district/zone numbers. The United States Post Office Department (USPOD) implemented postal zones for 124 large cities in May 1943. Postmaster General Frank C. Walker explained that many experienced postal clerks were going into the army, and the zone system would enable inexperienced clerks to sort mail without having to learn the delivery area of each city carrier.
For example:
Mr. John Smith
3256 Epiphenomenal Avenue
Minneapolis 16, Minnesota
The "16" is the number of the postal zone in a specific city.
By the early 1960s, a more organized system was needed. Non-mandatory five-digit ZIP Codes were introduced nationwide on July 1, 1963. The USPOD issued its Publication 59: Abbreviations for Use with ZIP Code on October 1, 1963, with the list of two-letter state abbreviations which are generally written with both letters capitalized. An earlier list, publicized in June 1963, had proposed capitalized abbreviations ranging from two to five letters. According to Publication 59, the two-letter standard was "based on a maximum 23-position line, because this has been found to be the most universally acceptable line capacity basis for major addressing systems", which would be exceeded by a long city name combined with a multi-letter state abbreviation, such as "Sacramento, Calif." along with the ZIP Code. The abbreviations have remained unchanged, except for Nebraska, which was changed from NB to NE in 1969 at the request of the Canada Post Corporation, to avoid confusion with New Brunswick.
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