So back in the dark days of dial-up internet the White House website was pretty much on a par with your average GeoCities page—a few adorably amateurish pictures, some cobbled together links, probably a MIDI version of The Star-Spangled Banner (OK maybe not that last one). I know this because the internet was just a wee village back then and pre-Google you pretty much typed plausible addresses in to see if they took you anywhere interesting. I was always into the U.S. and its stuff so there I am.

There was a “White House for kids” bit where you could write a little message to Bill, Al Gore (I think), or Hillary. I’m not sure why ten-year-old me chose to write to Hillary, but he did, with impeccable foresight, indeed choose to send a message to the then-FLOTUS. That message is sadly lost to the mists of time.

However! Imagine how excited I must have been to receive an actual piece of actual mail all the way from Washington, D.C. to Scotland, bearing the return address of the actual White House. Here, from the archives, in all its glory, is Hillary’s reply:

So there you have it. My personal correspondence with Hillary Clinton, made public for the very first time. You’re welcome, future historians!