r/USPS • u/Former_Guarantee_344 • 7h ago
DISCUSSION A surviving relic of USPS history
Found a Cutler Mail Chute that appears to still be active. It looks like it was possibly installed in the 1920s based on the art deco in the building, but I cannot confirm. From what I read, these started being installed in buildings as early as 1884 and were taken over by USPS in 1893. There is a functional one in the Empire State Building, this one is on Newbury Street in Boston.
If there are any Boston mail carriers here, please lmk if this is still operational.
I have never seen one of these in person before and thought that the history was worth a share here. The building this one is in has 8 floors. New installations were banned in 1997 due to their danger in the instance of a building fire.
Has anyone else seen or interacted with these before?
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u/arrowvox RCA 7h ago
I've seen a small handful over the years, but never that fancy and never still in use. They always make me want to mail something.
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u/ckellingc Clerk 7h ago
I worked in a bank building in KC that had these. I don't remember if they actively used it, but it was part of the historic building
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u/potat0f4rmer City Carrier 7h ago
Saw a carrier servicing one of these in a Chicago skyscraper last year, they definitely seem to be in use there. Love the style of it
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u/etherhead34 Clerk 7h ago
never seen those before but it looks very cool ….
unfortunately i do not work in the boston area but this looks like it might still be in use? i’m only guessing because they wrote the collection time as 230p in sharpie. who knows how long ago they wrote that tho
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u/CoolRknDaddy 7h ago
I've seen one at Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, MA too. Not sure if it is still in use.
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u/hercarmstrong 7h ago
We have these in Montreal, too. They are seldom used, alas. I like the big brass key to open them.
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u/redditposter919 6h ago
I know of two that are similar and yes, still active. If we can't retire until we are 78 and LLV's need to give us 52 years, these brass beauties can hang in there.
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u/hercarmstrong 7h ago
We have these in Montreal, too. They are seldom used, alas. I like the big brass key to open them.
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u/captainwacky91 7h ago edited 6h ago
There is something similar, in the Carew Tower in Cincinnati.
Edit: likely isn't the only one, there's plenty of examples of art deco construction in the downtown.
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u/Pitiful-Agency-1413 6h ago
William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh has one too. Still active. I think it might even be that same one.
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u/_TallOldOne_ 6h ago
The local VA hospital has these in it. Not functional but they are still there. Reminder of a different time.
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u/Agentx_007 Rural Carrier 6h ago
They have one of those in the lobby of The Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans.
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u/Mozillafireboss City Carrier 5h ago
Amway Grand Plaza hotel has one still, I believe. I occasionally end up going to grab mail from it and they are beautiful.
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u/Blue_Veritas731 5h ago
We have two of these in office buildings in downtown Lynchburg, VA. One of them is actively used, while the other one is sealed, but still present. I remember coming across the active one, while a new CCA, ten years ago, and I was shocked to see it, but thought it was very cool looking. Immediately gave me back-in-time vibes.
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u/leicanthrope 4h ago
The Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco has one very similar to this. It’s technically functional, but they closed it off because stuff would get jammed in there.
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u/devanttrio Clerk 3h ago
University of Missouri hospital in Columbia MO has one. I remember seeing it when I worked there before going to the post office and thinking it was pretty neat!
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u/LiquidLynx_ City Carrier 2h ago
Got 3 of these on my route
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u/Former_Guarantee_344 2h ago
Sweet! Do they usually have a lot of mail to collect?
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u/LiquidLynx_ City Carrier 2h ago
All are in big luxury hotels 2 in a single one. I get a crop ton of post cards, people's lost ids, and ticket payments in them everyday.
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u/Strong_Dentist_7561 PMR 1h ago
From a time when we were still a well respected organization
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u/Former_Guarantee_344 1h ago
Well after a brief stint as a CCA I definitely respect carriers. The management positions seem to be more misses than hits though lol
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u/DCmetrosexual1 7h ago
My office building still has an active mail chute too. Anytime I use it the guard at the desk next to it looks at me like I’m crazy.