Winthrop Postal History
Kennebec County, Maine
last update for this page: 19 July 2021
Maine Postal History
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Waterville Stamp Club
Thank you for the contributions to this page from James Husson and from the Strout family collection.
During the history of Winthrop, there have been three post offices.
Briefly, the history of these three is as follows:
1. East Winthrop post office opened on 26 December 1829 and is still operating.
2. Winthrop post office opened on 1 October 1794 and is still operating.
3. Winthrop Center post office opened on 15 January 1886 and closed on 31 May 1928.
In 1914, there were three post offices in Winthrop: East Winthrop, Winthrop, and Winthrop Center. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)
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Postmarks from the town of Winthrop include:
East Winthrop
1829 December 26:
East Winthrop post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide)
year? April 8:
The circular postmark is 26–27 mm in diameter.
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2020:
East Winthrop post office. U. S. Route 202; East Winthrop, Maine 04343. Lat./Long.: N 44°18′34″ x W 69°53′06″.
today:
East Winthrop post office is still in operation.
Winthrop
1794 October 1:
Winthrop post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide)
1837 September 30:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
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1837 December 4:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
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1841 November 5:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
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1842 October 7:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter [page 1], letter [page 2])
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1843 January 18:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
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1843 October 18:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter [page 1], letter [page 2], letter [page 3])
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1849 November 17:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (letter)
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1853 May 1:
The circular postmark is approximately 32 mm in diameter. (letter)
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1854 November 24:
The circular postmark is approximately 32 mm in diameter. (letter [page 1], letter [page 2], letter [page 3])
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year? February 3:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
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date?:
Winthrop post office.
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date?:
Linwood B. Jones appointed Postmaster.
1936 April 25:
Harry Clair Miller appointed Postmaster.
1939 December 5 through 1946 June 15:
The circular postmark is approximately 27 mm in diameter.
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1946 June 15:
The circular postmark is 20–21 mm in diameter.
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1946 December 9:
The circular postmark is 21–22 mm in diameter.
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1953 June 30:
Everett W. Harrington appointed Acting Postmaster.
1955 May 2:
Everett W. Harrington appointed Postmaster.
1972 October 13:
Norman B. Gardner appointed Officer-in-Charge.
1973 August 4:
Norman B. Gardner appointed Postmaster.
1981 January 9:
Roger J. Nadeau appointed Officer-in-Charge.
1981 July 11:
Evelyn W. Ouellette appointed Postmaster.
date?:
Sylvia D. Ridley appointed Officer-in-Charge.
1988 September 24:
Victor W. Martin appointed Postmaster.
2003 October 8:
Mark W. Bear appointed Officer-in-Charge.
2004 March 20:
Scott W. Allarie appointed Postmaster.
2017 November 19:
The Winthrop post office (at 112 Main Street) was gutted by fire on 21 February 2017.
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2020:
Winthrop post office (repaired after fire [see 2017 above]). 112 Maine Street; Winthrop, Maine 04364. Lat./Long.: N 44°15′36″ x W 69°58′23#8243;.
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today:
Winthrop post office is still in operation.
Winthrop Center
1886 January 15:
Winthrop Center post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide)
1903 September 21:
The circular postmark is approximately 29 mm in diameter.
(click on image to enlarge)
1928 May 31:
Winthrop Center post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide)