The initial zoning address system took effect in 1943 when thousands of

postal employees left to serve the military during World War II, leaving the
system understaffed and in need of simplification. To start, 124 of the largest
US cities were classified with two numbers — the first identifying the city and
the second the state. The numbers were intended to make sorting easier for
less experienced employees.

The postal system implemented the three other numbers 20 years later in
1963, as mail volume grew.
http://rapblog16.space