The Letter
Letters in the time of George Washington were typically written on a single sheet of paper using a quill pen that was sharpened with a pen knife. The quill tip was dipped into an inkwell and used to scribe the letter. An ink blotter was rolled over the wet ink or a fine powder was dusted over the ink to dry it before folding the paper to form its own envelope which was then sealed using sealing wax. The outside was addressed to the recipient and a posted at an inn or other public establishment. In 1780, US mail was sent by depositing letters at local taverns, coffee houses, or print shops, to be carried by post riders, ship captains, or travelers along established, often dangerous, routes. It was expensive, generally paid by the recipient, and often utilized for official business. Stamps, as we know it were not used before 1847 in the US. The recipient of the letter paid for the letter where it was retrieved from a tavern or other local place where posts were held for pickup by the recipient.
The Letter
Letters in the time of George Washington were typically written on a single sheet of paper using a quill pen that was sharpened with a pen knife. The quill tip was dipped into an inkwell and used to scribe the letter. An ink blotter was rolled over the wet ink or a fine powder was dusted over the ink to dry it before folding the paper to form its own envelope which was then sealed using sealing wax. The outside was addressed to the recipient and a posted at an inn or other public establishment. In 1780, US mail was sent by depositing letters at local taverns, coffee houses, or print shops, to be carried by post riders, ship captains, or travelers along established, often dangerous, routes. It was expensive, generally paid by the recipient, and often utilized for official business. Stamps, as we know it were not used before 1847 in the US. The recipient of the letter paid for the letter where it was retrieved from a tavern or other local place where posts were held for pickup by the recipient.