Southwest Harbor Postal History
 Hancock County, Maine
last update for this page: 20 July 2020



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


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


During the history of the town of Southwest Harbor, there have been three post offices.

Briefly, the history of these three is as follows:
1. Manset post office was established on 19 June 1893. It was renamed on 11 March 1966 as Manset Rur. Br. Southwest Harbor, and at a date to be determined, it was renamed as Manset CPO Southwest Harbor. It closed on 20 May 1995.
2. East Tremont post office was renamed on 26 June 1882 as Seawall post office, which closed on 14 January 1928, re-opened on 24 January 1928, and closed on 15 October 1928.
3. Southwest Harbor post office was established on 12 January 1827 and is still operating.


In 1914, there were three post offices in Southwest Harbor: Manset, Seawall, and Southwest Harbor. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)



Postmarks from the town of Southwest Harbor include:
Manset
 Manset CPO
 Manset Rur. Br. Southwest Harbor
 Seawall
 Southwest Harbor



Manset


1893 July 19:
   Manset post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

date?:
   Handwritten on reverse is “Post Office Manset, Me / Manset Groceries and / Barber shop”.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1912 August 23:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four bars to the right of the circle is 19–20 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1937 February 10:
   The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1966 March 11:
   Manset post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Manset CPO ?


1966 March 11:
   Manset CPO opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1984 September 26:
   The circular postmark is 32–33 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

date?:
   Manset CPO closed.


Seawall


1882 June 26:
   The former East Tremont post office (in Tremont) was renamed as Seawall post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1908 July 27:
   The circular postmark is 27–28 mm in diameter. The diameter of the larger circle target cancellation is approximately 19 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1916 November 27:
   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.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1928 January 14:
   Seawall post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1928 January 24:
   Seawall post office re-opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1928 October 15:
   Seawall post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Southwest Harbor


1827 January 12:
   Southwest Harbor post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1920 December 22:
   The circular postmark is approximately 29 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

date?:
   Southwest Harbor post office.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1935 February 23 through 1935 April 29:
   The circular postmark is approximately 22 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1940 March 11 through 1948 July 22:
   The circular postmark is approximately 22 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the seven horizontal bars to the right of the circle is approximately 20 mm. Note that the author of the message on the lower left card was the noted photographer. (image side of lower left card)
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1950 November 28:
   The circular postmark is 30–31 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1984 September 28:
   The circular postmark is 34–36 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is 21–22 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1998 August 7:
   The circular postmark is 31–32 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

2008 November 10:
   The circular postmark is 30–31 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

2020:
   Southwest Harbor post office. 21 Clark Point Road; Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679. Lat./Long.: N 44°16′46″ x W 68°19′32″.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Southwest Harbor post office is still in operation.