Why does this web site exist?

The Payphone Project began in 1995. The original explanation for how and why The Payphone Project came to be is found here: The Frequently Asked Question. I am not exactly certain when I first wrote that but it was probably around 2002 or 2003.

The purpose and direction of the site has continued to evolve as payphones inexorably disappear from the landscape. This site also hosts the USPS Blue Mailbox Locator, the first site of its kind to offer detailed locations of USPS dropboxes throughout the United States.

At present I am planning a book on the history of payphones in New York City and beyond. Maintaining this web site (and this FAQ in particular) is a way to keep myself connected to that subject matter.