Augusta Postal History
Kennebec County, Maine

last update for this page: 5 February 2021



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


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

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During the history of the city of Augusta, there have been seven post offices.

Briefly, the history of these seven is as follows:
1. The Hallowell Court House post office, which was established on 12 August 1794, was renamed on 1 July 1797 as Augusta post office, which is still operating.
2. Augusta Sta. No. 1, whose earliest known postmark is on 8 May 1934, is still operating.
3. Augusta Sta. No. 3, whose earliest known postmark is on 14 April 1933, is still operating.
4. Bolton post office opened on 21 August 1794 and closed on 29 January 1896.
5. Church Hill post office opened on 14 April 1899 and closed on 14 January 1902.
6. Read’s Corner post office opened on 25 December 1818 and closed in February 1820.
7. Water Street Sta. Augusta, whose earliest known postmark is 20 June 1966, is still operating.


In 1914, there was only one post office in Augusta: Augusta. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

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Postmarks from the town of Augusta include:

Augusta Augusta Sta. No. 1

Augusta Sta. No. 3 Bolton

Church Hill Hallowell Court House

Read’s Corner

Water Street Sta. Augusta

Augusta

1797 July 1:
   Hallowell Court House post office was renamed as Augusta post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1805 December 10:
   Samuel Titcomb appointed Postmaster.

1811 January 1: (date of his first financial return)
   Postmaster: Nathan Weston.

1812 April 1: (date of his first financial return)
   Postmaster: John Kimball.

1814 May 3:
   Robert C. Vose appointed Postmaster.

1825 August 4:
   Joseph Chandler appointed Postmaster.

1835 March 10:
   William Woart Jr. appointed Postmaster.

1839 February 27: [year determined from inside notation]
   Free frank.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1842 February 4:
   Richard F. Perkins appointed Postmaster.

1843 August 30:
   Asaph R. Nichols appointed Postmaster.

1844 JUne 15:
   Samuel Titcomb appointed Postmaster.

1844 August 13:
      The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter [page 1]; letter [page 2])
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

year? August 5:
   The cornucopia postmark is approximately 27 mm tall and perhaps 26 or 27 mm wide at the top. Free frank. (notation)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1845 April 25: [year and month determined from enclosed letter
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1846 June 5: [year determined from enclosed letter]
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1849 May 17:
   Joseph Burton appointed Postmaster.

1850 September 7: [year determined from enclosed letter]
   The circular postmark is 33–34 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1850 September 23: [year determined from enclosed letter]
   The circular postmark is 33–35 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1851 May 27: [year determined from enclosed letter] (notation; letter)
   The circular postmark is 33–34 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1852:
   Postmaster: Joseph Burton. (source: Maine Register and State Reference Book. 1852.)

1852 February 2: [year determined from enclosed letter]
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1852 December 9: [year determined from enclosed letter] (letter, page 1; letter page 2; letter page 3)
   The circular postmark is approximately 33 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1853 April 29:
   William S. Badger appointed Postmaster.

1861 April 8:
   James A. Bicknell appointed Postmaster.

1864? February 18:
   The circular postmark is 25–26 mm in diameter. Note the words “State of Maine” at the top center and the words “Senate Chamber” at the lower left.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1867 September 19: [year determined from contents]
   The circular postmark is approximately 23 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

year? September 1:
   The circular postmark is 25–26 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1870 October 7:
   Horace H. Hamlin appointed Postmaster.

1881 April 27:
   The circular postmark is 26–27 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1881 May 20:
   Joseph H. Manley appointed Postmaster.

year? February 20:
   The circular postmark is approximately 27 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1885 September 17:
   Lemuel B. Fowler appointed Postmaster.

1888 May 21 through 1891 April 28:
   The circular postmark is 27–28 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1889 June 25:
   Joseph H. Manley appointed Postmaster.

1891 May 9 through 1894 April 16:
   The circular postmark is approximately 28 mm in diameter. The elliptical cancellation to the right of the postmark is composed of seven parallel bars with an overall size of approximately 32 mm long and 18 mm wide.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1892 July 26:
   Walter D. Stinson appointed Postmaster.

1894 January 17:
   Thomas J. Lynch appointed Postmaster.

1894 July 27:
   Machine cancellation with a circular postmark of approximately 19 mm in diameter and to the right of the postmark a cancellation of a set of 7 horizontal bars 57 mm long and separated by just under 2.4 mm on center. A numeral is centered in the bars approximately 39–40 mm from their left end.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1895 September 6 through 1895 October 4:
   The circular postmark is 24–26 mm in diameter. The elliptical cancellation to the right of the circle is approximately 32 mm tall and 18 mm wide, with 3 bars both above and below the numeral, which is enclosed in a circle. It appears that the postmark and the cancellation are part of the same unit, and that the Augusta post office had at least two such units, one with the numeral 1 and one with the numeral 2.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

date?:
   Augusta post office.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1898 January 10:
   Walter D. Stinson appointed Postmaster.

1902 January 13:
   John V. Lane appointed Postmaster.

1905 March 24:
   The rectangular postmark is 15–16 mm high and approximately 32 mm wide.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1913 April 1:
   The circular postmark is approximately 25 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1914 January 27:
   Frederick W. Plaisted appointed Postmaster.

1916 December 17:
   The circular postmark is 22–23 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

year? October 8:
   (image on reverse)
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

year? January 6:
   The circular postmark is approximately 22 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

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

1922 December 14:
   John C. Arnold appointed Postmaster.

1935 January 31:
   Harold E. Weeks appointed Acting Postmaster.

1935 February 8:
   The circular postmark is approximately 22 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1935 April 30:
   Harold E. Weeks appointed Postmaster.

1939 December 4 through 1945 September 10:
   The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1942 October 14 through 1943 May 28:
   The circular postmark is 21–23 mm in diameter.
         
      (click on an image to enlarge)

1950 December 20:
   The circular postmark is approximately 22 mm in diameter. The rectagular box to the right of the circle is approximately 41 mm wide by 19–20 mm high, and contains the words “Fight TB / Support your / TB association”.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1950 December 21:
   The circular postmark is approximately 27 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1958 October 31:
   Willard C. Ellis appointed Acting Postmaster.

1959 June 30:
   John B. Tschamler appointed Postmaster.

1965 July 15:
   The circular postmark is 21–22 mm in diameter.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

1965 December 29:
   Hugh C. Smith appointed Acting Postmaster.

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

1966 January 21:
   Daniel B. Hickey appointed Acting Postmaster.

1967 October 2:
   H. Lloyd Carey appointed Postmaster.

1978 December 21:
   Gerard N. Oueuitte appointed Officer-in-Charge.

1979 June 18:
   Fred E. Davis appointed Officer-in-Charge.

1979 December 15:
   Joseph A. C. Arbour appointed Postmaster.

1981 July 10:
   Joseph N. R. Dutil appointed Officer-i-Charge.

1981 November 28:
   Patrick L. Faucher appointed Postmaster.

1998 November 30:
   Victor W. Martin appointed Officer-in-Charge.

1999 January 27:
   Leonard W. Gover appointed OFficer-in-Charge.

1999 July 3:
   Randy P. Michaux appointed Postmaster.

2002 August 21:
   Lynn E. Pierce appointed Officer-in-Charge.

2005 August 20:
   Lynn E. Pierce appointed Postmaster.

2008 December 31:
   Dale E. Nunn appointed Officer-in-Charge.

2009 August 29:
   Dale E. Nunn appointed Postmaster.

2013 March 18:
   Vicki M. Morse appointed Officer-in-Charge.

2013 December 4:
   Brian S. Carrier appointed Officer-in-Charge.

2014 Decmber 27:
   Brian S. Carrier appointed Postmaster.

2015 November 23:
   Ricardo Garcia appointed OFFicer-in-Charge.

2015 December 1:
   James Fitzsimmons appointed Officer-in-Charge.

2016 March 19:
   Michael E. Thurston appointed Postmaster.

2017 September 29:
   Thomas W. Robinson appointed Officer-in-Charge.

2017 October 24:
   David W. Brannon appointed Officer-in-Charge.

2017 December 23:
   David W. Brannon appointed Postmaster.

2020:
   Augusta post office. 40 Western Avenue; Augusta, Maine  04330. Lat./Long.: N 44°18′39″ x W 69°47′00″
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Augusta post office is still in operation.


Hallowell Court House

1794 August 12:
   Hallowell Court House post office opened. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1794 August 12:
   James Burton appointed Postmaster.

797 July 1:
   Hallowell Court House post office renamed as Augusta post office.


Water Street Sta. Augusta

1966 June 20:
   Water Street Sta. Augusta earliest known use [of postmark]. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1981 June 25:
   The outer circle of the postmark is 28 mm in diameter; the inner, 18 mm.
      
      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Water Street Sta. Augusta post office is still in operation.