Morris County Unveils ‘ZIP Code’ History Project
Published on July 25, 2025
The Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation and the Morris County Board of County Commissioners are proud to announce the release of “ZIP Code: Morris County Postal History,” a new local history project exploring the evolution of postal service in Morris County.
This online endeavor highlights how the postal service within the county emerged and the contributions made by postmasters and postal service personnel over the past 250 years, while also offering a glimpse into the many historic villages that predated modern municipal boundaries.
View “ZIP Code: Morris County Postal History” Online Here
“Once again, the Office of Planning and Preservation has shown us that Morris County’s deep ties to the formation of our nation extend far beyond military endeavors. Through projects like this, we’re reminded of the everyday individuals -- like postal workers-- who helped shape the fabric of American life,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, liaison to the Office of Planning and Preservation.
Morris County’s postal roots trace back to the Revolutionary War and the birth of America’s independent postal system. Prior to independence, most mail was routed through British authorities in London and only the wealthy could afford private couriers. As tensions with England mounted, a need for secure communications developed in the colonies.
On July 26, 1776, the Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as the first postmaster general. His reforms laid the foundation for a national postal network, linking communities from Maine to Florida-- including those that would become Morris County.
“Morris County has always known how to deliver. In 1780, the Continental Army established one of the earliest local post offices at ‘Two Bridges,’ now part of Lincoln Park, to support wartime communication and logistics,” said Joseph Barilla, director of the Office of Planning and Preservation.
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, “ZIP Code: Morris County Postal History” celebrates the longstanding dedication of local postal workers and how essential communication was in building the nation.
This online project is the latest in a series of cultural resource surveys researched and compiled by the county’s planning and preservation office in an effort to document the people -- many of them lost in history -- who made Morris County and the nation what it is today.
Anyone with information about current or former postmasters in Morris County is encouraged to contact Cultural and Historic Resources Specialist Jan Williams in the Office of Planning and Preservation at jwilliams@co.morris.nj.us to share those stories.
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Photo 1: Gabriel J. Bonnani, a Korean War veteran, served 36 years with the Boonton Post Office, including a decade as Postmaster before retiring in 1988. He later worked at Chase Bank in Morristown. He and his wife, Angelina, raised three children, including former Morris County Administrator John Bonnani.
Photo 2: David Sanford Allen, born in Randolph in 1836, was wounded in action during the Civil War while serving with Co. K, 39th NJ Volunteers. A longtime Dover resident, he served as Postmaster in 1892 and later ran a local store. He died in 1913 and is buried in Orchard Street Cemetery, Dover.