Portland Postal History
Cumberland County, Maine

last update for this page: 9 June 2021



Maine Postal History ------ Waterville Stamp Club


Thank you for contributions to this page from James Husson, Roland Simard, and the Strout family collection.

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Postmarks from the city of Portland include:

Allen’s Corner Cliff Island Cushing Island Sta. Portland Deering Deering Center Diamond Downtown Sta. East Deering Falmouth (1) Fort Levett Sta., Portland Little Chebeague Mariner

North Deering Northwest Annex Portland Ottawa Peaks Island Sta. Portland Peak’s Island Pearl Street Sta. Portland Portland Portland Branch No. 10 Portland Fort Levett Sta. Portland Ft. McKinley Sta. Portland ME U.S. Fleet Post Office Portland Sta. A (1)

Portland Sta. A (2) Portland Sta. No. 1 Portland Sta. No. 2 Portland Sta. No. 3 Portland Sta. No. 4 Portland Sta. No. 5 Portland Sta. No. 6 Portland Sta. No. 7 Portland Sta. No. 8 Portland Sta. No. 9 Portland Sta. No. 11 Portland Sta. No. 12

Portland Sta. No. 13 Portland Sta. No. 16 Portland Sta. No. 18 Portland Sta. No. 19 Portland Sta. No. 20 Rand Road Annex Stevens Plains Stroudwater Trefethen West End Sta. Portland Woodfords Woodfords Sta. Portland

Allen’s Corner

1872 May 17:
   Allen’s Corner post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1875 March 12:
   Allen’s Corner post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Cliff Island

1892 December 28:
   Cliff Island post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1938 September 20:
   The circular postmark is approximately 33 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1967 August 31:
   The circular postmark is 31–32 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four bars to the right of the circle is 18–19 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

2005 December 30:
   The circular postmark is approximately 37 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is approximately 24 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Cliff Island post office is still in operation.


Deering

1882 February 14:
   Deering post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1899 November 17:
   The circular postmark is 28–29 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1900 June 30:
   Deering post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Deering Center

1889 April 10:
   Deering Center post office opened (as “Deering Centre”). (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1892 March 21:
   The circular postmark is 27–28 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1895 October 24:
   Spelling changed from “Deering Centre” to “Deering Center”. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1900 June 30:
   Deering Center post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Peaks Island Sta. Portland

1913 March 31:
   Peaks Island Sta. Portland post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1940 July 27 through 1949 January 24:
   The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

2006 March 7:
   The outer circle of the postmark is 239–24 mm in diameter; the inner, approximately 19 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Peaks Island Sta. Portland post office is still in operation.


Portland

1786 July 5:
   Portland post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1821:
   Postmaster: Robert Ilsley (source: Maine Register. 1821.)

1825 through 1835:
   Octagonal postmarks were used in Portland from 1825 through 1835 and in other towns from 1868 through 1887. (source: Page 75 of Maine Postal History and Postmarks by Sterling T. Dow. originally published in 1943.)

1826 July 15:
   The octagonal postmark is approximately 26 mm across. (notation)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1827 January 3:
   The octagonal postmark is approximately 26 mm across. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1827 February 16:
   The octagonal postmark is approximately 26 mm across. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1827 April 4:
   The octagonal postmark is approximately 26 mm across. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1827 September 4:
   The octagonal postmark is approximately 26 mm across. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1831 December 30:
   The octagonal postmark is approximately 26 mm across. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1834 August 29:
   The octagonal postmark is approximately 26 mm across. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1843 April 24:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1843 May 6:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1843 June 3:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1843 June 14:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1843 July 1:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1844 May 2:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1844 December 5:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1846 June 26:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1847 May 18:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1847 June 10:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1847 November 2:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1848 May 11:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1848 August 17:
   The circular postmark is approximately 32 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1848 October 4:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1849 May 1:
   The circular postmark is approximately 32 mm in diameter. (letter [page 1], letter [page 2])
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1849 September 8:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1850 May 3:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (letter [page 1], letter [page 2], letter [page 3])
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1851 May 20:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1851 June 16:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (letter [page 1], letter [page 2])
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1851 December 22:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1853 January 13:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1853 February 10:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1853 July 15:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1854 August 10:
   The circular postmark is approximately 32 mm in diameter. (letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1855 January 31:
   The circular postmark is approximately 32 mm in diameter. (notation)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1855 November 16:
   The circular postmark is approximately 32 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

year? January 22:
   The circular postmark is approximately 32 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

year? December 2:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. (notation)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

year? December 11:
   The circular postmark is approximately 32 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1884 May 26: [year obtained from enclosed letter]
   The circular postmark is approximately 22 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1887 January 29:
   The circular postmark is approximately 29 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1894 December through 1895 January 22:
   The circular postmark is 25–26 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

ca. 1898:
   Portland post office.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1898 January 12:
   The rectangular postmark is approximately 31 mm wide and approximately 7 mm high.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1899 June 13:
   The rectangular postmark is approximately 31 mm wide and approximately 7 mm high.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1900 June 13:
   The rectangular postmark is approximately 32 mm wide and approximately 14–15 mm high.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1903 May 28:
   The circular postmark is approximately 20 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1904 October 14 through 1905 September 18:
   The circular postmark is approximately 20 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1915 April 1 through 1919 October 1:
   The circular postmark is 22–23 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1920 November 29:
   The circular postmark is 21–22 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1930 December 20 through 1950 May 15:
   The circular postmark is 21–22 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1934 August 3:
   The circular postmark is 21–23 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1935 December 22:
   The circular postmark is 21–22 mm in diameter. “Buy U. S. Savings / Bonds / Ask your postmaster”.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1940 July 23 through 1941 April 9:
   The circular postmark is 21–22 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1943 January 4 through 1943 December 15:
   The circular postmark is 21–22 mm in diameter. “Buy / War Savings / Bonds and Stamps”.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1945 October 1 through 1945 October 3:
   The circular postmark is 21–22 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1940 July 27 through 1950 June 19:
   The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1950 June 25:
   The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1952 June 12:
   The circular postmark is approximately 21 mm in diameter. “Hire the handicapped / It’s good business”.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Portland post office is still in operation.


Portland Ft. McKinley Sta.

1925 July 1:
   Portland Ft. McKinley Sta. post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1925 August 7:
   The circular postmark is 21 mm in diameter. (image side of card)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1948 December 31:
   Portland Ft. McKinley Sta. post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Stevens Plains

1832 March 21:
   Stevens Plains post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1845 October 10:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

year? September 13:
   The circular postmark is 37–39 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1882 February 14:
   Stevens Plains post office renamed as Deering post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Trefethen

1904 April 18:
   Trefethen post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1905 July 31:
   The circular postmark is 27–28 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1913 March 31:
   Trefethen post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


West End Sta. Portland

1907:
   West End Sta. Portland post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1932 April 8:
   The circular postmark is approximately 22 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1980 September 15:
   West End Sta. Portland post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Woodfords Sta. Portland

1900 July 1:
   Woodfords Sta. Portland post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

19-- March 19:
   The circular postmark is 25–26 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1906 August 5:
   The circular postmark is 28 mm in diameter. The diameter of the target cancelation is 17 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Woodfords Sta. Portland post office is still in operation.