Georgetown Postal History

Georgetown Postal History
Sagadahoc County, Maine

last update for this page: 3 May 2021

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

Thank you for the contributions to this page by James Husson and Roland Simard.

During the history of the town of Georgetown, there have been eight post offices. Because three of these eight bore (at different times) the name Georgetown in their postmarks, they are designated below as Georgetown (1), Georgetown (2), and Georgetown (3).

Briefly, the history of these eight is as follows:
1. Bay Point was a summer office. It was established on 2 August 1889, closed on 14 November 1896, re-opened on 23 July 1902, and closed on 30 June 1937. A 1941 cover has reportedly been seen.
2. Five Islands (2) was established on 24 July 1882. Its closing date has not been found. Completely unrelated is Five Islands (1), which was the forerunner of Winn post office in Penobscot County.
3. Georgetown (1) was established on 5 May 1775 and closed on 5 October of 1775. It re-opened on 7 October 1777 and was discontinued in late 1778. This was the forerunner of Bath post office.
4. Georgetown (2) was established on 9 February 1801 and on 4 May 1815, it became Phippsburgh post office.
5. Georgetown (3) was established on 22 July 1835, closed on 21 July 1869, re-opened on 6 July 1870, and is in operation today.
6. Macmahan post office was established on 11 May 1900. On 31 March 1931, it changed to Macmahan Rur. Sta. Bath, which in 1986 became Macmahan CPO Five Islands, which in turn became Macmahan CPO Georgetown and is still in operation.
7. North Georgetown was established on 22 June 1874. On 12 November 1886, it became Riggsville, which became Robinhood on 5 October 1916. Robinhood post office closed on 31 May 1960.
8. West Georgetown post office operated from its establishment on 17 June 1911 until its closing on 15 December 1927.

In 1914 there were five post offices in Georgetown: Bay Point, Georgetown (3), Macmahan, Riggsville, and West Georgetown. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)

(click on image to enlarge)

Postmarks from the town of Georgetown include:

Bay Point
Five Islands (2)
Georgetown (1)

Georgetown (2)
Georgetown (3)
Macmahan

Macmahan CPO Five Islands
Macmahan CPO Georgetown
Macmahan Rur. Sta. Bath

North Georgetown
Riggsville

Robinhood
West Georgetown

Bay Point

1889 August 2:
   Baypoint post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1896 November 14:
   Bay Point post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1902 July 23:
   Bay Point post office reopened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1934 August 13:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter. The horizontal bars to the right of the circle are approximately 4 mm apart on center.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1937 June 30:
   Bay Point post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

Five Islands (2)

1882 July 24:
   Five Islands (2) post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1950 December 1:
   The circular postmark is 32–33 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle 18–19 mm.

      (click on image to enlarge)

date?:
   Five Islands (2) post office.

      (click on image to enlarge)

date?:
   Five Islands (2) post office closed.

Georgetown (3)

1835 July 22:
   Georgetown (3) post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1842 April 5:
   The manuscript postmark is 65 mm long and 16 mm tall. (letter, additional contents)

      (click on image to enlarge)

1869 July 21:
   Georgetown (3) post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1870 July 6:
   Georgetown (3) post office re-opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1935 September 19:
   The circular postmark is 29–31 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

date?:
   Georgetown (3) post office.

      (click on image to enlarge)

2021 May 2:
   Georgetown (3) post office. 765 Five Islands Road; Georgetown, Maine  04548. Lat./Long.: N 43°48′20″ x W 69°45′25″

      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Georgetown (3) post office is still in operation.

Macmahan

1900 May 11:
   Macmahan post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1900 August 24:
   The circular postmark is approximately 27 mm in diameter. The target is approximately 17 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1935 September 21:
   The circular postmark is 31–32 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1961 March 31:
   Macmahan post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

Riggsville

1886 November 12:
   The former North Georgetown post office was renamed as Riggsville post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

date?:
   Riggsville post office.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1907 August 24:
   The circular postmark is 32 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is 14 mm.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1916 October 5:
   Riggsville post office was renamed as Robinhood post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

Robinhood

1916 October 5:
   Robinhood post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1935 September 19:
   The circular postmark is 31–33 mm in diameter.

(click on image to enlarge)

1960 May 31:
Robinhood post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)