The rural post office in Canada was once a vibrant institution of sociability and communication in Canada. Its impact was both tangible and inescapable. Everyone who lived in a rural community was touched by it, no matter how far you lived "out of town." The mail brought books, magazines, and newspapers that helped to shape the politics and culture of the country. It brought letters, sometimes money, from friends and family away at work or at war. It brought parcels and care-packages containing good things to eat. The local mailbox provided access to the growing national economy, via the convenience of the postal money order, the postal savings bank, and the mail-order catalogue. Country Post strives to recreate the postal world of the period 1880 to 1945. Never before or since have postal communications had a more immediate impact on the lives of Canadians, transforming rural life well into the 20th century. Based on thorough archival research, Country Post is also enriched by the insightful perspective of twenty-eight postmasters from all regions of Canada who were interviewed for this study. The smooth operation of the rural postal service was very much the result of their efforts.