Phippsburg Postal History

Phippsburg Postal History
Sagadahoc County, Maine

last update for this page: 21 December 2021

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

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

During the history of the town of Phippsburg, there have been nine post offices.

Briefly, the history of these nine is as follows::
1. Ashdale post office opened on 6 July 1880 and closed on 28 February 1920.
2. Cliffstone post office was established on 15 May 1889 and was renamed on 14 December 1896 as Cape Small post office, which was renamed on 17 January 1899 as Small Point Beach post office. This post office was renamed on 1 May 1964 as Small Point (2) post office, which was renamed on 19 May 1967 as Small Point Rur. Sta. Phippsburg. At a date to be determined by further research, this post office was renamed as Small Point CPO Phippsburg post office, which closed on 5 July 1995
3. Georgetown (2) post office was renamed on 4 May 1815 was Phippsburg post office, which is still operating.
4. Hunnewell’s Point post office was established on 2 April 1878 and was renamed on 4 April 1888 as Popham Beach post office. This was renamed on 26 May 1961 was Popham Beach Rur. Sta. Phippsburg, which renamed on a date to be determined by research as Popham Beach CPO Phippsburg, which closed in 1980.
5. Parker Head post office operated from 4 February 1843 until 30 April 1934.
6. Sebasco post office was established on 11 April 1896 and was renamed on 1 March 1931 as Sebasco Estates post office, which is still operating.
7. Small Point (1) post office operated from 14 March 1855 until 17 May 1932.
8. West Point post office was established on 14 May 1914 and was renamed on 23 May 1944 as West Point Rur. Sta. Sebasco Estates. This was renamed at a date to be determined by research as West Point CPO Sebasco Estates, which closed in 1988.
9. Winnegance post office operated from 31 May 1848 until 15 January 1917.

In 1914, there were eight post offices in what is now the town of Phippsburg: Ashdale, Parker Head, Phippsburg, Popham Beach, Sebasco, Small Point (1), Small Point Beach, and Winnegance. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)

(click on image to enlarge)

Postmarks from the town of Phippsburg include:

Ashdale
Cape Small
Cliffstone
Hunnewell’s Point

Parker Head
Phippsburg
Popham Beach
Popham Beach Rur. Sta. Phippsburg

Popham Beach CPO Phippsburg
Sebasco
Sebasco Estates
Small Point (1)

Small Point (2)
Small Point Beach
Small Point Rur. Sta. Phippsburg
Small Point CPO Phippsburg

West Point
West Point Rur. Sta. Sebasco Estates
West Point CPO Sebasco Estates
Winnegance

Ashdale

1880 July 16:
   Ashdale post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1886 January 27:
   The circular postmark is approximately 28 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1913 February 28:
   The circular postmark is 30–31 mm in diameter. The four horizontal bars to the right of the circle are approximately 3 mm apart on center. (picture side of card)

      (click on image to enlarge)

1920 February 28:
   Ashdale post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

Cliffstone

1889 May 15:
   Cliffstone post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1894 August 15 through 1894 August 30:
   The circular postmark is 25–27 mm in diameter.

      (click on an image to enlarge)

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

Parker Head

1843 February 4:
   Parker Head post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1934 April 2:
   The circular postmark is 31–33 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four bars to the right of the circle is 19–20 mm.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1934 April 30:
   Parker Head post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

Phippsburg

1815 May 4:
   Phippsburg post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1875 August 11:
   The elliptical postmark is 23 mm high by 38 mm wide. To the right is a (faint) smaller ellipse 7 mm high by 9.5–10 mm wide.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1947 January 8:
   The circular postmark is 33–34 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

2021:
   Phippsburg post office. 520 Main Street; Phippsburg, Maine  04562. Lat./Long.: N 43°50′36″ x W 69°48′40″

      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Phippsburg post office is still in operation.

Sebasco

1896 April 11:
   Sebasco post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1928 April 16:
   The circular postmark is 30–32 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1931 March 1:
   Sebasco post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

Sebasco Estates

1931 March 1:
   Sebasco Estates post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1931 December 31 through 1935 April 5:
   The circular postmark is 30–33 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four bars to the right of the circle is 19 mm.

      (click on an image to enlarge)

1939 December 2:
   The circular postmark is 30–32 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four bars to the right of the circle is 18–19 mm.

      (click on an image to enlarge)

2021:
   Sebasco Estates post office. 415 Sebasco Road; Phippsburg, Maine  04565. Lat./Long.: N 43°46′30″ x W 69°51′41″

      (click on image to enlarge)

today:
   Sebasco Estates post office is still in operation.

Small Point (1)

1855 March 14:
   Small Point (1) post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1917 August 14:
   The circular postmark is 31–32 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1932 May 17:
   Small Point (1) post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

Small Point Beach

1899 January 17:
   Small Point Beach post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1902 August 27:
   The circular postmark is 28 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1917 August 12:
   The circular postmark is 31–32 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1941 July 31:
   The circular postmark is 30–32 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is 13–14 mm.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1947 September 25:
   The circular postmark is 30–32 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1950 July 26 through 1950 August 8:
   The circular postmark is 31–33 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is 19–20 mm.

      (click on an image to enlarge)

1964 May 1:
   Small Point Beach post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

Winnegance

1848 May 31:
   Winnegance post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1866 August 18:
   The circular postmark is 34 mm in diameter.

      (click on image to enlarge)

year? October 22:
   The circular postmark is 25 mm in diameter. The outer diameter of the target cancel is 19 mm.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1893 April 8:
   The circular postmark is 28 mm in diameter. Note that the 8 (day number) is upside down.

      (click on image to enlarge)

1908 September 15:
   The circular postmark is 32 mm in diameter. Two of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle are 19 mm long and two are 20 mm. Thhe spacing between the bars is 3 mm. (image side of card)

      (click on image to enlarge)

1912 July 23:
   The circular postmark is 32 mm in diameter. Two of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle are 19 mm long and two are 20 mm. Thhe spacing between the bars is 3 mm. (image side of card)

(click on image to enlarge)

1917 January 15:
Winnegance post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)