Buxton Postal History
York County, Maine

last update for this page: 13 May 2019



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


Thank you for the contributions to this page from the Strout family collection.

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

Briefly, the history of these ine is as follows:<:br> 1. Buxton post office opened on 24 August 1797, closed on 30 December 1885, re-opened on 27 March 1895, and closed on 15 May 1949.
2. Buxton Center post office operated from 11 March 1826 until 15 July 1922. The name was changed from Buxton Centre to Buxton Center sometime in the 1890s.
3. Chicopee post office opened on 14 May 1880, closed on 13 June 1888, re-opened 28 August 1889, and closed 28 November 1900.
4. Groveville post office operated from 10 March 1884 until 30 March 1907.
5. Haines Meadow post office operated from 13 May 1889 until 6 November 1894.
6. Hollis (1) post office was renamed 0n 17 December 1853 as Bar Mills post office, which is still operating.
7. North Buxton post office operated from 22 March 1869 until 8 April 1870.
8. South Buxton post office operated from 3 March 1885 until 30 November 1900.
9. West Buxton post office was established on 18 August 1843 and is still operating.


In 1914, there were four post offices in the town of Buxton: Bar Mills, Buxton, Buxton Center, and West Buxton. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)
      
      Click on image to enlarge.

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Postmarks from the town of Buxton include:

Bar Mills Buxton

Buxton Center Chicopee

Groveville Haines Meadow

North Buxton South Buxton

West Buxton

Bar Mills
1853 December 17:
   Bar Mills post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1903 July 20:
   The circular postmark is approximately 29 mm in diameter.
      

1918 June 13 through 1940 September 30:
   The circular postmark is 32–33 mm in diameter. The horizontal bars to the right of the circle are approximately 6 mm apart on center.
         

1949 December 12 through 1950 March 27:
   The circular postmark is approximately 29 mm in diameter. The cancellation to the right of the postmark is unclear, but its distance from the postmark suggests that the postmark and cancellation are part of a single unit.
         

today:
   Bar Mills post office is still in operation.


Buxton
1797 August 24:
   Buxton post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1821:
   Postmaster: Charles Coffin. (source: Maine Register. 1821.)

1885 December 30:
   Buxton post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1895 March 27:
   Buxton post office re-opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1922 September 13:
   The circular postmark is 31–32 mm in diameter. The four horizontal bars to the right of the circle are approximately 6 mm apart on center.
      

1949 May 15:
   Buxton post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


South Buxton
1885 March 3:
   South Buxton post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1891 August 12:
   The circular postmark is 26–27 mm in diameter.
      

1900 November 30:
   South Buxton post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


West Buxton
1843 August 18:
   West Buxton post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1949 January 25 through 1950 July 27:
   The circular postmark is 29–30 mm in diameter.
         

date?:
   West Buxton post office closed.