Machias Postal History
Washington County, Maine
last update for this page: 2 January 2021
Maine Postal History
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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 Machias, there have been two post offices.
Briefly, the history of these two is as follows:
1. Machias post office opened on 1 October 1794 and is still in operation. (The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide reported that this post office closed on 30 June 1880 and re-opened on 1 July 1880.)
2. The former East Machias post office was renamed on 25 March 1840 as Mechisses post office, which was renamed on 15 March 1842 as East Machias post office.
In 1914, there was only the Machias post office. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)
(click on image to enlarge)
Postmarks from the town of Machias include:
Machias
1794 October 1:
Machias post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1843 November 28:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
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1848 August 19:
The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter. (letter)
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1852:
Postmaster: C. A. Crocker (source: Maine Register and State Reference Book. 1852.)
1855 October 2:
The circular postmark is 31–32 mm in diameter. (letter)
(click on image to enlarge)
1880 June 30:
Machias post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1880 July 1:
Machias post office re-opened [the day after it closed?]. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1893 August 13:
The circular postmark is 28–29 mm in diameter.
(click on image to enlarge)
1906 August 31:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. The cancellation of parallel bars to the right of the circle is approximately 26 mm high and 14 mm wide. (image side of postcard)
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1918 December 24:
The circular postmark is 28–29 mm in diameter.
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1939 December 18:
The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter.
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1940 February 16 through 1950 June 17:
The circular postmark is 20–21 mm in diameter.
(click on an image to enlarge)
1949 December 31:
The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter.
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2020:
Machias post office. 89 Court Street, Suite 1; Machias, Maine 04654. Lat./Long.: N 44°42′56″ x W 67°27′35″
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today:
Machias post office is still in operation.
Mechisses
1840 March 25:
The former East Machias post office was renamed as Mechisses post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)
1841 April 1:
The circular postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
(click on image to enlarge)
1842 March 15:
Mechisses post office renamed as East Machias post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)