MODERN LIVING 1962: U.S. Post Office Dept. Announces ZIP codes

Zip!

The man whose social security number is 082-01-1653 and whose phone number is 201-726-3876 will soon have a new number to remember—say, 96347. The Post Office Department announced last week that every address will have a five-digit number added to it after next July 1. The system, known as "Zip" (for Zone Improvement Plan), is designed to speed delivery of first-class mail as much as 24 hours by enabling postal clerks to tell at a glance how to route a letter.