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Mail jumping is a type of mail delivery where the postal carrier (known as a mail jumper) arrives by boat, jumps onto a
The mail jumping delivery system has been employed on houses surrounding
dock
The word dock () in American English refers to one or a group of human-made structures that are involved in the handling of boats or ships (usually on or near a shore). In British English, the term is not used the same way as in American Engl ...
, places incoming mail in a mailbox, retrieves outgoing mail, and jumps back onto the boat. The boat continues to move at a slow and steady pace (about ) while the mail jumper is jumping.
Geneva Lake
The mail jumping delivery system has been employed on houses surrounding Geneva Lake
Geneva Lake (Potawatomi: ''Kishwauketoe'' 'Clear Water') is a body of freshwater in Walworth County in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. On its shores are the city of Lake Geneva and the villages of Fontana-on-Geneva-La ...
in Walworth County, Wisconsin
Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...
, United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, since before first roads were built around the lake in the late 19th century. Decent roads were first built around the lake in the 1920s. Some residents still use boats as their primary means of transportation to their summer homes on the lake.
Six jumpers are hired annually to deliver mail
The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letter (message), letters, and parcel (package), parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid ...
on behalf of the United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the executive branch of the federal governmen ...
each summer from June 15 until September 15. Only male jumpers were used until the first woman was hired in 1974. Since then, they have been mostly women. Jumpers began daily at 7 a.m. by sorting mail. Delivery begins at 10 a.m. aboard the U.S. Mailboat ''Walworth II''. Mail is delivered to approximately 60 houses. Delivery is completed by around 1 p.m. A typical jumper misses the jump returning to the boat at least once in their career and works the rest of the day wet.
The Lake Geneva Cruise Lines has operated the boat since 1916. It takes approximately 160 tourists along. Most mail runs are at full capacity. Jumpers are expected to be able to speak as tour guides as the tour passes historic summer houses and Yerkes Observatory
Yerkes Observatory ( ) is an astronomical observatory located in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, United States. The observatory was operated by the University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics from its founding in 1897 until 2018. O ...
. The jumpers are privately hired by the cruise line and they work closely with the U.S. Postal Service. The ''Walworth II'' is the only mail jumping boat in the United States. Mail has been delivered this way since 1873. A local resident said "There was a time during the war when everyone really counted on the mailboat. We didn't have TV and computers and all of that, so everyone would gather to meet the mailboat."
References in popular culture
TheTravel Channel
Travel Channel (stylized as Trvl Channel since 2018) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, who previously owned the channel from 1997 to 2007. The channel is headquartered in Manhattan, with ...
host Andrew Zimmern
Andrew Scott Zimmern (born July 4, 1961) is an American chef, restaurateur, television and radio personality, director, producer, businessman, food critic, and author. Zimmern is the co-creator, host, and consulting producer of the Travel Channe ...
taped an episode of his show '' Bizarre World'' in which he worked as a mail jumper.
National Public Radio member station WUWM made an episode on mail jumping on August 6, 2014.
YouTuber Tom Scott tried mail jumping on August 16, 2022.
See also
* *References
{{United States Postal Service Postal history United States Postal Service Walworth County, Wisconsin Wisconsin culture Mail carriers