SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — On Monday, July 1, 1963, the United States Post Office officially introduced the Zone Improvement Plan (ZIP) code. The intention was that the new ZIP code system would result in more organized and speedy mail delivery. In our area, the ZIP code prefix assigned was 127, with Monticello being named the General Post Office (GPO), giving it the 12701 ZIP code.

The 127 area was to cover Sullivan County and western Orange County, plus the Town of Deerpark and the City of Port Jervis (Port Jervis was designated as 12771). The post offices operating within the Town of Thompson are as follows: Monticello 12701, Glen Wild 12738, Harris 12742, and Kiamesha Lake 12751 (The Kiamesha Lake ZIP code was influenced by the Concord Hotel. Back when the hotel was at its peak during the ‘50s and ‘60s, the volume of mail was more than the Monticello Post Office could handle, so the Kiamesha Lake Post Office was utilized to handle the bulk of the Concord’s mail. The hotel used Kiamesha Lake, NY 12751 as its official address.)

Additionally, Thompson ZIP codes include Mongaup Valley 12762 (This locale was in the Town of Thompson and in the Town of Bethel), Rock Hill 12775 and Thompsonville 12784.

Notice the alphabetical order corresponds with ascending numbers, with the exception of the GPO. The miracle of the ZIP code system that followed helped streamline mail delivery. Prior to the system (now known as the “zip” code) being implemented, the system relied on postal zones and then “rural routes” for areas outside the postal zone areas, which was confusing. The ZIP code system is much more logical and organized.

A hearty salute to the ZIP code!