Stonington Postal History
Hancock County, Maine
last update for this page: 13 September 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 Stonington, there have been two post offices.
Briefly, the history of these two is as follows:
1. Green’s Landing post office was established on 17 August 1854. It was renamed on 6 August 1897 as Stonington post office, which is still in operation.
2. Oceanville post office opened on 2 October 1855, closed on 21 February 1867, re-opened on 10 August 1871. According to the Maine Rarity Guide, this post office closed on 10 June 1955, but a card shown below bears the date 30 June 1955.
In 1914 there were two post offices in Stonington: Oceanville and Stonington. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)
(click on image to enlarge)
Postmarks from the town of Stonington include:
Green’s Landing
1854 August 17:
Green’s Landing post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
year? August 3:
The circular postmark is 26–27 mm in diameter. The target cancellation is 17–18 mm in diameter.
(click on image to enlarge)
1997 August 6:
Green’s Landing post office was renamed as Stonington post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
Oceanville
1855 October 2:
Oceanville post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1867 February 21:
Oceanville post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1871 August 10:
Oceanville post office re-opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1937 September 10 through 1942 March 20:
The circular postmark is 32–33 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is 18–19 mm.
(click on an image to enlarge)
1955 June 30:
The circular postmark is approximately 33 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is approximately 18 mm.
(click on image to enlarge)
1955 June 30:
According to the Maine Rarity Guide, this post office closed on 10 June 1955, but the card above bears a date of 30 June 1955. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
Stonington
1897 August 6:
The former Green’s Landing post office was renamed as Stonington post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1906 July 31 through 1906 September 25:
The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter. (image side of left card below; image side of right card below)
(click on an image to enlarge)
date?:
Stonington post office.
(click on image to enlarge)
2020:
Stonington post office. 28 West Street; Stonington, Maine 04681. Lat./Long.: N 44°09′17″ x W 68°40′00″
(click on image to enlarge)
today:
Stonington post office is still in operation.