Mailbox Color for Your Era
You’re about to add scenic detail to your layout. Perhaps a few lamp posts, fire hydrants and a mailbox on the street corner. But what color should that mailbox be?
If you immediately thought of United States Postal Service blue — the same navy blue color that is used on public mailboxes today — or already have blue mailboxes on your existing layout, chances are you’re incorrect. The answer actually depends on the year you’re modeling.
The Post Office Department and Early Color Schemes
The Postal Service started as the Post Office Department and didn’t become known as the United States Postal Service until 1971. The Department changed the colors of their collection boxes many times over the years. According to the Collection Box Colors PDF from the Postal History section of the USPS Web site, early mailbox colors were not well documented or standardized. Records seem to indicate that prior to World War I, mailbox colors changed frequently including schemes such as solid red, green and aluminum.
I’ve included photographs for various schemes in this article, but note that these are artist renderings and may not be accurate. They’re simply for basic representation.
From World War I to 1955
At the end of World War I, the United States War Department was left with a very large supply of olive drab paint which it shared with the Post Office Department. From that time, the Post Office Department standardized it’s paint schemes nationwide to a solid olive drab. The boxes would have likely been lettered with the words “U.S. Mail”. This scheme was used until 1955.
Olive drab mailbox
1955 to 1971
In 1955, the standardized color for collection boxes changed to a red, white and blue scheme. This new scheme was introduced for the first time on July 4, 1955. Note that the blue used during this time frame was lighter than the darker blue that’s used today.
I do not have accurate specifications for this scheme and I found some conflicting drawings on the Internet — unfortunately, I was not able to find an actual photograph to reference. Some drawings included a white band aound the box and others depicted the mailbox as solid red and blue. Since the USPS historical description includes “white”, I’ve opted to include it in my photo rendition for this scheme. This scheme lasted under the Post Office Department was reorganized as the United States Postal Service in 1971.
Red, white and blue mailbox. NOTE: Per the comments on this article, the 1955-1971 mailbox scheme should NOT include the white stripe as shown in this photo.
1971 to the Present
After the formation of the USPS, mail collection boxes were changed to the dark navy blue color still used today. Since 1971, the only change to the US mailboxes has been a modernization to the eagle logo used on the box sides which was updated in 1993.
Dark blue mailbox
Learn More
Because the majority of N scale modelers are most likely not modeling from the 1970s and forward, don’t dive directly into the dark blue paint. Explore your era. know the details that defined the time period and give your layout a greater sense of realism.
Read more about the history of the United States Portal Service on USPS.com or on Wikipedia.
Other articles you may be interested in:
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Nice article Frank! On the Red, White and Blue mailbox from 1955-1971, I do not have a picture to share, but I remember watching a late 1950′s movie, (sorry, don’t remember what) and made a note in my “model notebook” with a drawing that shows this box minus the white band, but had “US MAIL” on 2 sides written in white on the red portion. That comprised the red, white and blue color scheme, or at least in that movie. Recently I saw that same color scheme on one of the early (in color) Andy Griffith TV shows. I also remember that type of box in my home town when I was young (in Kansas).
Glenn,
Thanks for that comment. Because I didn’t have a confirmed source for that particular era, I would venture to say you are most like 100% correct in what you’re describing. That would make sense and I would advise readers to follow Glenn’s description if modeling 1955-1971.
Frank, Thank you so much for the information on your website. I’d like to add a little information on mail boxes prior to 1955. While they were olive green the words U.S. MAIL were painted in gold letters on the collection boxes. There were also mail storage boxes that were only olive and had no drop slot. They were often near the regular collection boxes but didn’t have gold lettering. These were used for the mail delivery trucks to leave mail in a neighborhood for the mailmen to pickup mail for local delivery. These were used for a while after the collection boxes were changed to red and blue. Some corners would have both. Today our mailman uses a truck and parks it where he can deliver mail in a two block radius then he moves it to the next location so he doesn’t need the storage box any more.
Dennis
Dennis,
Thank you for the great information — it’s so good to have instant feedback from readers here. I think it’s helpful for modelers to understand these types of things when the ultimate goal of what we do is realism. Thanks again.
This is an incredible level of detail I haven’t given any thought to. I’m going to share this with my readers.
Keep up with the good work.
Rick
Does anybody make N Scale mailboxes?
Rick,
I tried leaving a comment on your site but it would not allow me to. Thanks for the link back. In return, I’ve added your site link to the Links page of N Scale Limited.
As for N Scale mailboxes, they should be fairly easy to make with a rectangular piece of strip styrene and a piece of styrene half-round. Then just some wire bits for legs.
I think I recall seeing one as a white metal casting including in a kit. I think there’s one in the DPM Night Life Gold series kit. But I haven’t seen them any…GOTTA GO….NEIGHBOR’S HOUSE ON FIRE!!!
Well hopefully everything is okay with Franks neighbors, but to answer the N scale mail box question, the answer is kinda.
I have some personally that are made by Detail Associates, but the issue is getting ahold of some. On Walther’s site the replenishment status is “Unknown”. I have been told that Walther’s will order “X” amount of parts at the beginning of a catalog cycle and when they are gone they are gone till the next cycle. The good thing is the next cycle is about to start soon, but I don’t know if this will happen or not. Everywhere I have looked they are labeled as out of stock, not discontinued, so they may come around again.
You might get lucky and find some online, so keep looking.
Sorry about the previous comment. My neighbor’s garage completely went up in flames this evening. I’m just now getting back in front of the computer after hours of pet-sitting their huge dog. All is well through, no one hurt. That’s my off-topic rant for today. Just thought I would at least follow up on that last thought.
Try it now if you want Frank. I mistakenly turned off that feature. In case you didn’t notice while at my site, I added your site to my links as well.
Thanks, Rick
when you demostrated the building of the sign you used Tamiya Extra Thin Cement and you made it look so easy. I purchased the product and can’t seem to make it stick to anything that quick. What is your secret?
Thanks
Tommy,
Are you using styrene? Cause it wont work on some kinds of plastic.
Also don’t use too much, I like to use a little to soften the plastic, then attach the two pieces and then come back and lather on some more.
Frank….it’s not really off-topic about your neighbours garage…..I thought you could do a tutorial about gluing it all back together…paint and weather it…..whats wrong about that?…………..
I must say too, to get back on topic…the mailboxes are incredible….and to think…n scale…the mind truly boggles……………Chris and Frank…what do you both do for a living?…I’ll bet you are both scientists or something………right?…….
Chris,
I was using wood, I have since purchased evergreen styrene and it works perfect. Thanks for the excellent tip.
Tommy
Greg, you realize those photos are REAL mailboxes, right? :) I just did them in Photoshop to illustrate the points of the article.
And I build Web sites for a living, but currently unemployed — unfortunately.
Also, I find it interesting that ever since we added the “Articles you may have missed” section to the home page, we’ve had a big boost in readership on these older articles.
Everyone realizes you can get to the archive of topics from the top navigation, right?
haha…no I didn’t realize the mailboxes were real….I’m so used to looking at your work and marvelling I just thought it was getting even better….by the way Frank….I still can’t log on to the Forums……
Yeah me to I thought they were real as well . Somethings you guys build are so real looking I cant believe that you have made them . I was just thinking about mail boxes as well . In Chicago I didnt see very many at all or newspaper stands very few at all .
Kirk, I think you hit on something, not just in Chicago but everywhere. There used to be a mailbox at every few intersections. Now they are hard to find. There are a few drive up boxes, but not many on the corners anymore. Guess they are going the way of pay phones.
OK, just did a quick internet search and found a couple of articles about the removal of mail boxes. Seems that to cut costs, USPS is trying to eliminate boxes that receive fewer than 50 pieces of mail daily.
Great! Thank for information, I’m looking for it for a long time,
Great! Thank for information, I'm looking for it for a long time,