Victorians Mailed Children Through the Postal Service

The launch of the U.S. Parcel Post service in 1913 created an unexpected loophole for budget-conscious American families. With train fares being prohibitively expensive for many, some parents realized that the cost of postage was significantly lower. The rules for the new service were initially vague, and as the weight limit for parcels was increased from 11 to 50 pounds, a bizarre but practical solution emerged for sending children to visit relatives. For the price of a few stamps, a child could be officially classified as "mail."

This practice was not as alarming as it might sound today. Children were not stuffed into mailbags; rather, they were accompanied by trusted rural mail carriers, essentially becoming human parcels under their care. The carrier would escort the child along their route, often on a train's mail car, and deliver them safely at their destination. In one famous 1914 case, five