# Postal zone numbers (pre-zip code)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postal-zone-numbers-pre-zip-code/394034>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 28, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postal-zone-numbers-pre-zip-code/394034 "2007-02-28T16:23:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![danhughes1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bc79bd/32.png) [@danhughes1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danhughes1)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postal-zone-numbers-pre-zip-code/394034/1 "2007-02-28T16:23:02Z")

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When were cities first divided into numbered postal zones, as in “Indianapolis 24, Indiana”?

I know the zip code replaced the zones in 1963, but I can’t find a reference as to when the earlier zone system started.

Thanks!

[dan@bdhs65.com](mailto:dan@bdhs65.com)

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**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postal-zone-numbers-pre-zip-code/394034/2 "2007-02-28T16:43:20Z")

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The Wikipedia entry on [ZIP Code](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZIP_Code#Background) notes that

> [@](#):
>
> The postal service implemented **postal zones** for large cities in 1943.

(The Wikipedia article on [Postal Codes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_code) notes that Germany was the first to implement such a system only two years earlier.)

The USPS history confirms that with the [(not extremely explicit) reference](http://www.usps.com/history/his2_75.htm) (while describing the history of the ZIP code):

> [@](#):
>
> Once these sectional centers were delineated, the next step in establishing the ZIP Code was to assign codes to the centers and the postal addresses they served. The existence of **postal zones in the larger cities, set in motion in 1943** , helped to some extent, but, in cases where the old zones failed to fit within the delivery areas, new numbers had to be assigned.

(bolding mine)

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postal-zone-numbers-pre-zip-code/394034/3 "2007-02-28T21:51:31Z")

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Little to add to Tom’s point, except to note that postal zones in the larger cities were often (I suspect always, but have no cite) tied to branch post offices, postal substations, etc., and generally became the final two digits (with leading zero added as needed) of the Zip code when it was adopted. Thus the Kodak Park neighborhood of Rochester, formerly serviced by the Kodak Park substation, was Rochester 14 New York, and took the zip code of Rochester NY 14614 – Rochester city addresses all being 146xx, and that particular neighborhood being -14. (I think I’m remembering the right info. for Kodak Park, but if “14” is in error, the example remains accurate, just exhibiting the wrong postal zone/zip code number.)

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/postal-zone-numbers-pre-zip-code/394034/4 "2007-02-28T23:53:11Z")

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From a contemporary newspaper story:

The system went into place on June 1, 1943. 178 large cities in the US used it.

For instance, Long Beach had seven zones, numbered 2-7.

There were 10 other California cities in the 178.