The Cranston Branch of the Providence Post Office was established on September 1, 1928 and is currently in operation. This Branch  Post Office should not be confused with the Cranston Post Office which was an entirely different Post Office.

The Cranston Post Office was established on April 24, 1893 under Postmaster John H. Barry and disestablished on August 31, 1903. This Post Office was formerly known as Cranston Print Works established on December 19, 1868 under Postmaster Orton E. Colman and the name changed to Cranston on April 24, 1893. Prior to this the Post Office was known as the Knightsville Post Office established on August 19, 1847 under Postmaster William Fairbanks and the name changed to Cranston Print Works on December 19, 1868.

Cancels from both Cranston and Cranston Print Works are considered rare and cancels from Knightsville are extremely rare and much sought after by collectors of Rhode Island Postal History.

The city of Cranston is located just south of Providence and is within the Providence metropolitan area. The cities of Warwick and West Warwick abut the southern border and Scituate is just to the West. Cranston is 28.2 square miles in area and is the third largest city in Rhode Island. The Town of Cranston was incorporated in 1754 and became a city in March of 1910.

Notable old buildings include: The Fenner House, built in 1677; The Joy Homestead, built in 1764; The Friends (Quaker) Meeting House, built in 1729; and the Oaklawn Baptist Church, built in 1879.