Swans Island Postal History
Hancock County, Maine
last update for this page: 16 May 2019
Maine Postal History
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Waterville Stamp Club
Thank you for contributions to this page from the Strout family collection.
During the history of the town of Swans Island, there have been three post offices.
Briefly, the history of these three is as follows:
1. Atlantic post office opened 28 September 1883 and closed on [?].
2. Minturn post office opened on 4 February 1897 and closed on [?].
3. Swans Island post office opened on 24 June 1844 and is still operating.
In 1914, there were three post offices on Swans Island: Atlantic, Minturn, and Swans Island. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)
Click on image to enlarge.
Postmarks from the town of Swans Island include:
Atlantic
1883 September 28:
Swans Island post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1909 December 6:
The circular postmark is 28–29 mm in diameter. (image side of card)
1960 December 20:
The circular postmark is approximately 34 mm in diameter.
1969 August 1:
The circular postmark is 32–33 mm in diameter.
[date?]:
Atlantic post office closed.
Swans Island
1844 June 24:
Swans Island post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1895 July: [year determined from reverse]
The circular postmark is approximately 28 mm in diameter.
1932 December 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 19 mm.
1965 April 7:
The circular postmark is 33–34 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is approximately 20 mm.
today:
Swans Island post office is still in operation.