Until 1963, the Post Office preferred that state names be written out in full, but accepted the practice of abbreviation. The Postal Department published a list of preferred abbreviations in 1831, another in 1874, still another in 1943, and the most recent two-digit abbreviations in 1963. -- USPS
Nope. I didn't even know when you had to start adding an area code to local calls. Found out only when the robot voice on the phone told me.
What did the 'T' stand for in Arkansas, Florida, and Michigan? In elementary school didn't send any letters they were all had delivered, Valentine cards, birthday cards, Christmas cards to my school mates, lol.
OK, here's one for y'all: My newest imponderable. Dialing long distance with my land-line phone, I must start the number with a "1". Not so, with my cell. It needs no such entry. Why? Frank
Why?....because.... "The landline network still requires a 1 for reasons of history, business, and regulation. Adam Newman, an engineer for Telcordia, which provides software to run the system, says most states still “require the local exchange to provide a toll indicator”–traditionally the 1–as a warning to consumers that calls will cost more. Switches in the landline world, moreover, still listen to the number as you dial it. As soon as the network hears you dial 1, the call is sent to long-distance lines to be completed. So “there’s no technical reason the 1 couldn’t come out,” says Bob Azzi, vice president of network engineering for Sprint. “But you’ve got thousands of local-phone providers, thousands of switches, all of which would have to be changed.” Which makes the 1 a bemusing modern quirk: unnecessary, but required." On the other hand... "On the other hand, since the cellular system is considered as one huge area, cellular phone calls to somewhere outside of your own area code don't require the use of a "1" to connect your call. In essence, all cell phone calls are considered "local" by all cell phone services, and the cell phone system is capable of identifying a telephone number with only the area code—no "1" is required. However, the use of the "1" is actually optional on cell phones. A "long distance" cell phone call will go through regardless of whether you use a "1" or not. The cell services essentially ignore the "1" if you happen to use it." (May vary, by State?....dunno.)
That dialing '1' thing always mixes me up here. From one property, some things are long distance, but not from the other, and vice versa. Between the two is not long distance though (thank you). They are just on the edges of the limits.