“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” These words are posted in stone over the New York City Post Office and, according to the US Postal Service, come from The Persian Wars, a book written by Herodotus telling the story of the Persians early postal service around 500 B.C.

Because this is an unofficial motto for the US Post Office, National Neither Snow nor Rain Day, celebrated on September 7, is a day to honor the opening day of The New York Post office building in 1914. It honors the men and women who deliver the mail. This famous quote is on the James A. Farley Post Office was named for Farley, a politician who went on to become the 53^rd Postmaster General who served under two administrations, including during the Great Depression, from 1933-1940.

Fun fact: The US Postal System has been an important contributor to since its inception in 1776. Ben Franklin was the first Postmaster General. In 1971, the United States Postal System (USPS) was established. The current Postmaster General, Louis DeJoy, was appointed on June 15, 2020 by President Trump. DeJoy is the 75^th person to serve in this position.