A Unique Gift For History Buffs

Get weekly snail mail from Lincoln, Carnegie, Patton, Hamilton, and more.

SIGN UP 📬 GIVE AS GIFT

As Seen In

As featured in Mental Floss, the New York Times, History.com, The Buffalo News, Buzzfeed, and more.
Closeup of Letterjoy military history letters

The Letterjoy Gift Experience

Send one amazing historic letter each week to the historian in your life.

Curated Letters: We search through archives, libraries, and private collections around the world to find you one amazing letter, memorandum, or telegram from American history per week.

Some letters provide an inside look at famous historical moments like the contentious election of 1824, Bunker Hill, the Manhattan Project, and the sinking of the Titanic.

Others tell the story of interesting lesser-known events like the great locomotive chase of 1862, the Groveland case, or the 1942 capture of Nazi saboteurs deposited on American shores by a U-boat.

Detailed Background Info: With "The Postscript", our signature article format, you'll have all the historical context you need to enjoy each of your letters.

A Classic Experience: With textured high-end paper or parchment, restored signatures, letterhead, and real stamps, our letters will transport you back in time.

SIGN UP FOR LETTERS 📬
letterjoy I Shall Return I have returned Macarthur letter
American Revolution letter being read
Closeup of Letterjoy military history letters

Meet Some Past Letterjoy Pen Pals

Learn about a few of the presidents, generals, inventors, and other figures who Letterjoy members have received mail from.

Letters from General William T. Sherman

William T. Sherman

General William Tecumseh Sherman wrote Letterjoy members to discuss his famous "March To The Sea" and the rationale behind his controversial decision to burn the city of Atlanta.

Letters and telegrams from Amelia Earhart

Amelia Earhart

Legendary aviator Amelia Earhart wrote Letterjoy members to discuss some of her most famous flights and her infamous final journey.

Letters from Thurgood Marshall in Korea

Thurgood Marshall

Letterjoy members received a letter from Thurgood Marshall from before his appointment to the Supreme Court, when he was a young lawyer for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund investigating the malicious prosecution of black GIs in Korea. Through his letters home, Letterjoy members learned about Marshall's work overturning unjust courts-martial..

Letters from Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams

First Lady Abigail Adams is another frequent Letterjoy author, writing about her experience during the Boston Blockade and the American Revolution and to advise her son and husband on their budding political careers.

Letters from Ike

Dwight D. Eisenhower

President Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote Letterjoy members to discuss his efforts to de-escalate the Cold War, D-Day, and his work as Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe..

Letters from Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie

Steel magnate Andrew Carnegie wrote Letterjoy members to discuss how he built his empire and his reacton to the Homestead Strike of 1892.

Letters from Allen W. Dulles

Allen W. Dulles

Long-time CIA Director Allen W. Dulles has written Letterjoy members to discuss notable CIA programs and operations, including the U-2 Spy Plane, Operation Paperclip, and the Bay Of Pigs invasion.

Letters from John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones, father of the American Navy, wrote Ben Franklin (and Letterjoy members) to discuss the exploits of the Bonhomme Richard, a vessel in the Continental Navy which drew its name from Franklin's famous Poor Richard's Almanac(k).

Letters from Theodore Roosevelt on the USS Maine

Theodore Roosevelt

President Theodore Roosevelt wrote Letterjoy members to discuss the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine and his time leading the Rough Riders at San Juan Hill.

Letter from General George S. Patton

George S. Patton

A young George S. Patton wrote his father (and Letterjoy members) to discuss his role in a WWI tank battle, the first mechanized battle fought by the US military.

Your Letters Await...

VISIT OUR FAQ ✉️ ORDER LETTERS
John Brown's Raid letters

Harriet and Dangerfield Newby

Dangerfield Newby was one of five freedmen to join John Brown on his famous raid of the armory at Harper's Ferry. On his body, a letter was found from his wife Harriet, still enslaved, pleading for rescue. Letterjoy members received this letter as well as a note from Colonel Robert E. Lee (then serving in the US Army) to Brown demanding his surrender.

Letters from President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War 2

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Over the years, Letterjoy members have received scores of different letters and memorandums from FDR about the New Deal, the Great Depression, and World War II. Among the best was a top-secret letter from Roosevelt to Winston Churchill pondering the question of whether to remove General Charles de Gaulle from his post as leader of Free French Forces.

Letters from Henry Clay

Henry Clay

Henry Clay has written Letterjoy members to discuss foreign policy in his role as Secretary of State under President John Quincy Adams. He's also written to discuss his work in Congress as the "Great Compromiser".

Letters From Julius & Ethel Rosenberg

Julius & Ethel Rosenberg

Julius & Ethel Rosenberg wrote Letterjoy members to discuss life on death row, their claims of innocence, and their convictions for spying on behalf of the Soviet Union.

Letters from William Jennings Bryan

William Jennings Bryan

After the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, President Woodrow Wilson pushed his advisors to demand that Germany accept responsibility and take corrective action. Secretary Of State William Jennings Bryan, fearful of escalation, pushed back. After Wilson drafted a particularly inflammatory note, Bryan threatened to resign if it was sent. Wilson didn't back down. Bryan sent the note, then resigned. Letterjoy members received Bryan's note and the German response.

Letters from other war-time leaders

And More...

We have a long list of amazing letters we look forward to sharing with you. In fact, we have so many that we had to save some for Part II (coming in 2024) - Stay tuned!

Please note: Authors are subject to change

Ready To Liven Up Your Mail?

Explore US history through letters mailed to your door.

ORDER LETTERS VIEW PACKAGES

Frequently Asked Questions

Letterjoy gives you a reason to check your mailbox, something to look forward to every week, and the opportunity to study history in a fun & intimate format.

For gift-givers, Letterjoy is a constant reminder that you care. Each time a Letterjoy letter arrives in your recipient's mailbox, they'll think of you.

We hear often stories about gift recipients who call the person who gave them Letterjoy whenever a new letter arrives to discuss it.

For recipients, Letterjoy is an immersive offline escape. Our letters, produced on premium stationery or parchment, are the perfect break from your overwhelming email inbox or social media feed.

Anyone! We have seriously seen it all. Letterjoy is particularly popular as a present for lawyers, grandparents, teachers, veterans, and college students, but we've seen Letterjoy gifted to governors, comedians, plumbers, and more.

We have gift members on six continents, including spouses, bosses, parents, grandparents, children, great grandparents, and more.

We have also seen Letterjoy gifted to people of all professions, from top politicians and captains of industry to local reverends and teachers.

Of course! Treat yourself to any of our packages. You deserve something to look forward to as you check the mail each week.

Yes. The historical letters we mail to your door are reproductions of real letters (or telegrams) written by legendary figures and eloquent eyewitnesses. They are sourced from some of the finest archives, special collections, and private sources on the planet.

For more information on sourcing, and the philosophical debate over what constitutes authenticity (and our stance on it), reach out to Support[at]letterjoy[dot]co.

Our signature American History collection tells the story of our nation from 1776 through 1960.

A few of the major eras covered include the American Revolution (obviously), the early republic, the Civil War, World War I, the Industrial Revolution, World War II, the Civil Rights movement, and the Cold War.

A few of the specific events this collection includes letters from are The Alamo, Pearl Harbor, John Brown's raid, and the Constitutional Convention.

For the most detailed and up-to-date list of topics you'll receive letters about, please refer to this page.

In addition to this collection, we offer a growing list of additional topic-specific collections. Our current offering includes:

Please Note: All collections with the exception of our signature American History collection are offered only in six-month packages.

We do. You can download our customizable explanation letter here. Mail it, email it, send it as a telegram, or wrap it and put it under the tree. However you deliver it, our welcome letter is an excellent way to introduce your gift.

In addition to our main "Letters From American History" collection, we offer a few topic-specific "special collections". Please Note: Special collections are only available in six-month increments.

These are the special collections currently available for purchase:

Yes. All Letterjoy packages include free USPS First-Class postage. Members with mailing addresses outside the United States will incur a modest international postage surcharge.

Every Letterjoy letter is accompanied by "The Postscript," a detailed article about your letter, the person who wrote it, and the events described within it.

For more details on how we write "The Postscript" and why many Letterjoy members consider it the highlight of their experience, visit this page.

Yes! No screens are required to enjoy Letterjoy. Our letters arrive via First-Class mail, and "the Postscript," the article about each letter, arrives in the very same envelope.

Letterjoy is a great way to decompress and disconnect from the digital world.

Of course you can! Our samples page has high-resolution PDF scans of a few of our past letters.

Yes. We mail to addresses around the world. Charges for additional postage may apply (and letters may take 2-3 weeks to arrive, depending on the quality of your local postal carrier).

Letters are sent via first-class mail once per week. Newly activated orders usually go out in the first mailing of the month you selected at checkout.

If you purchase within a week of the start of your start month, your first letter will (in most cases) go out with our 2nd mailing of the month.

Recently moved? On an extended vacation? You can change your address right from our self-serve member portal (Members.letterjoy.co).

We’re here to help! Visit our support page or send us an email. We’ll be in touch soon with an answer.

You can also reach us by letter at 1101 14th St N.W., Suite 910, Washington, DC 20005.

You've Reached The End Of The Page...

Ready to get letters from American military history mailed to your door?