Why are Vanderbilts Post Offices called Station B and Station 17?
There has never been a Station A post office on campus. The U.S.P.S. formerly used an alphabetical system to keep track of its contracted post offices, like Station B in Rand Hall. Station A was reportedly assigned to a branch of the Tennessee prison system. The U.S.P.S. later implemented a numerical system, which was in place when the Medical Center was designated Station 17. (We thank the old Vanderbilt Register newspaper for permission to reprint this information.) Return to top Why are they called Zip Codes? (Yes, at one time Mr. Zip was even popular enough to be a toy!) This was a marketing phrase chosen by the USPS to introduce the system in the early 60’s. Supposedly ZIP stood for “Zone Improvement Plan.” Most other countries call them postal codes. Some of you may remember the little cartoon man called Mr. Zip who appeared in ads from this period: (By the way, Ethel Merman sang the introductory Zip Code jingle, an adaptation of the song “Zippity Do Da.” To hear the Merm belt ou
