Deer Isle Postal History
Hancock County, Maine

last update for this page: 27 June 2021



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


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

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During the history of the town of Deer Isle, there have been 15 post offices.

Briefly, the history of these 15 is as follows:
1. Deer Isle post office was established on 16 June 1820 and is still operating.
2. Dirigo (3) post office operated from 5 July 1902 to 28 September 1902.
3. Dirigo Island post office operated from 5 June 1905 to 15 March 1918,
4. Eagle (2) post office opened on 10 July 1901, closed on 4 October 1902, re-opened on 23 March 1908, and closed on 10 April 1943.
5. Eggemoggin post office operated from 4 May 1895 to 31 July 1934.
6. Isle au Haut (1) post office operated from 20 November 1837 to 10 April 1850.
7. Isle au Haut (2) post office opened on 20 February 1860 and closed on 15 April 1870. It re-opened on 6 April 1880, and on 31 August 1963 became Isle au Haut Rur. Sta. Stonington.
8. Little Deer Isle post office was established on 12 August 1893 and is still in operation.
9. Mountainville post office opened on 12 October 1872, closed on 15 February 1907, re-opened on 9 June 1909, and closed on 15 January 1914.
10. North Deer Isle post office operated from 28 January 1862 to 30 September 1947.
11. Reach post office operated from 6 May 1890 to 14 October 1903.
12. South Deer Isle post office operated from 21 December 1832 to 14 July 1903.
13. Sunset post office was established on 20 July 1886 and is still in operation.
14. Sunshine post office operated from 15 June 1892 to 15 August 1940.
15. West Deer Isle post office opened on 15 June 1869, closed on 1 August 1881, re-opened on 4 August 1881, and closed on 31 August 1887.


In 1914 there were nine post offices in Deer Isle: Deer Isle, Dirigo Island, Eagle (2). Eggemoggin, Isle au Haut (2), Little Deer Isle, North Deer Isle, Sunset, and Sunshine.. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

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Postmarks from the town of Deer Isle include:

Deer Isle Dirigo (3) Dirigo Island Eagle (2)

Eggemoggin Isle au Haut (1) Isle au Haut (2)

Isle au Haut Rur. Sta. Stonington Little Deer Isle Mountainville

North Deer Isle Reach South Deer Isle

Sunset Sunshine West Deer Isle

Deer Isle

1820 June 16:
   Deer Isle post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1852:
   Postmaster: H. R. Haskell. (source: Maine Register and State Reference Book. 1852.)

1903 March 17: [year determined from contents]
   The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1909 July 15:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is approximately 13 mm. (image side of card)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1917 May 31:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. To the right of the postmark is an elliptical cancellation, but not enough is present to provide any measurements here.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1940 January 3 through 1950 December 4:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. The elliptical cancellation to the right of the postmark is approximately 33 mm tall and is composed of four horizontal bars above and four below the encircled numeral.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

date?:
   Deer Isle set of fermer post office. This building, almost next door to the current post office, is on the site occupied by a former post office for many years.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1999 April 14:
   The outer circle of the postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter; the inner, approximately 19 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

2020
   Deer Isle post office. 12 Main Street; Deer Isle, Maine 04627. Lat./Long.: N 44°13′24″ x W 68°40′45″
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Deer Isle post office is still in operation.


Dirigo Island

1905 June 5:
   Dirigo Island post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1907 August 1
   The circular postmark is 31–32 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is 14 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1918 March 15:
   Dirigo Island post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Eagle (2)

1901 July 10:
   Eagle (2) post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1902 October 4:
   Eagle (2) post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1908 March 23:
   Eagle (2) post office 43-opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1941 May 2
   The circular postmark is approximately 33 mm in diameter. The ouside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is 20 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1943 April 10:
   Eagle (2) post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Eggemoggin

1895 May 4:
   Eggemoggin post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1914 August 20
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. The ouside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is approximately 20 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1934 July 31:
   Eggemoggin post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Little Deer Isle

1893 August 12:
   Little Deer Isle post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1900 April 21:
   The circular postmark is 29 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1966 August 18 through 1968 September 18
   The circular postmark is 32–33 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

2020:
   Little Deer Isle post office. 17 Eggemoggin Road; Little Deer Isle, Maine 04650. Lat./Long.: N 44°17′10″ x W 68°41′48″
      
      (click on an image to enlarge)

today:
   Little Deer Isle post office is still in operation.


Mountainville

1872 October 12:
   Mountainville post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1907 February 15:
   Mountainville post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1909 June 9:
   Mountainville post office re-opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1910 July 18
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. The ouside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is approximately 13 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1914 January 15:
   Mountainville post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Reach

1899 May 6:
   Reach post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1901 July 8
   The circular postmark is 28.5 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1903 October 14:
   Reach post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


South Deer Isle

1832 December 21:
   South Deer Isle post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1852 June 23
   Manuscript postmark.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

188_ October 10
   The circular postmark is 26–27 mm in diameter. The diameter of the target cancelation is approximately 16 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1895 November 12
   The circular postmark is 28–29 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1903 July 14:
   South Deer Isle post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Sunset

1886 July 20:
   Sunset post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

date?
   Sunset post office.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1929 June 21
   The circular postmark is approximately 34 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is approximately 20 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

date?
   Sunset post office. This image is of the old post office at Sunset. It now resides about one mile away from its original location (was almost directly across the street from the new post office). It is now located at the Stonington Deer Isle Historical Society Museum complex.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1999 April 14
   The circular postmark is 33–35 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

2020
   Sunset post office. 300 Sunset Road; Sunset, Maine 04683. Lat./Long.: N 44°12′22″ x W 68°42′13″
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Sunset post office is still in operation.


Sunshine

1892 June 15:
   Sunset post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1908 November 26
   The circular postmark is approximately 28 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1940 August 15
   The circular postmark is approximately 35 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is 19–20 mm.Note that this is the last day of use for this postmark.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1940 August 15:
   Sunshine post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)