Pathways of Paper: How the Boston Post Road Birthed the American Mail and Unified a Nation

Before the United States was a unified nation, it was a fractured collection of isolated colonies. Information traveled at a glacial pace, moving by ship along the coast, leaving inland settlements entirely disconnected. The concept of a shared American identity was practically impossible without a way to communicate.

The creation of a single, reliable overland route was a logistical nightmare. Forging a path through dense forests, hostile territories, and deep mud required immense labor and...