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10/19/03 |
               
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The History of LetterboxingThe idea originated in 1854 in Dartmoor when a guide named James Perrott left an empty jar at a location known as Cranmere Pool, in the middle of North Dartmoor. When people arrived at the pool, which, incidentally, had long since been drained and no longer held water, they would deposit their self addressed postcards in the jar as proof they had visited the site. The next visitors to arrive would retrieve these cards, while depositing their own, and upon returning home would post them to the addressee. Later the sweet jar was replaced by a tin box with a visitors' book to record peoples visits and later still a rubber stamp and inkpad were added, to allow people to stamp their postcard before leaving it for the next caller to retrieve and post. It was many years before any more boxes appeared on the moor and they were so few that they were even marked on the Ordnance Survey OS28 maps of Dartmoor. Early boxes are at Taw Marsh in 1894, Ducks Pool in 1938 (as a memorial to William Crossing, the famous Dartmoor author ), Fur Tor in 1951 and Crow Tor in 1962. These boxes are deep into the moor and still represent a challenge. From these humble beginnings mushroomed Dartmoor Letterboxing to become what it is today, with over 4,300 boxes on the more at any one time, along with 'Travellers' - letterboxes which are being carried by intrepid seekers and Moving boxes - which are constantly shifting all over the moor. Boxes have most recently sprung up in various hostelries, shops and caravan parks, etc. and if their number are included the numbers probably rise to around 7500. Though there may be more ! Letterboxes are now situated throughout the UK though be no means to the same density as on Dartmoor. The pastime has grown into a world wide hobby particularly in the USA, the Netherlands Germany and New Zealand. The first American letterbox was planted at Prayer Rock near Bristol, Vermont. They now are now over 6000 located in all 50 states. Most boxes are in open countryside but some are to be found in urban areas. There are even 'virtual letterboxes' on the internet ! - they are everywhere - you just need to know where to look !. |
This site was last updated 10/19/03