Kennebunk Postal History
 York County, Maine
last update for this page: 8 March 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 Kennebunk, there have been eight post offices.

Briefly, the history of these eight is as follows:
1. Bartlett’s post office opened on 9 April 1901 and closed on 15 October 1901.
2. Crescent Surf post office opened on 27 June 1889, closed on 27 October 1893, re-opened on 25 January 1894, and closed on 31 July 1906.
3. Kennebeach post office was established on 9 July 1883 and was renamed on 15 August 1883 as Kennebunk Beach post office, which was renamed on 19 May 1967 as Kennebunk Beach Rur. Sta. Kennebunk. This closed on 1 June 1972.
4. Kennebunk Depot post office opened on 13 March 1844 and was renamed on 19 October 1887 as West Kennebunk post office, which is still operating.
5. Kennebunk Landing post office opened on 21 September 1868 and closed on 10 June 1879.
6. Lyman (2) post office was renamed on 6 August 1897 as Alewive post office, which closed on 31 March 1904.
7. North Kennebunk post office operated from 23 August 1887 until 15 April 1890.
8. Wells (1) post office was established on 6 June 1791 and was renamed on 21 January 1799 as Kennebunk (2) post office, which is still operating.


In 1914, there were three post offices in Kennebunk: Kennebunk (2), Kennebunk Beach, and West Kennebunk. (source: Post Route Map of the State of Maine 1914)
      
      Click on image to enlarge.



Postmarks from the town of Kennebunk include:
Alewive
Bartlett’s
Crescent Surf
 Kennebeach
Kennebunk (2)
Kennebunk Beach
 Kennebunk Beach Rur. Sta. Kennebunk
Kennebunk Depot
 Kennebunk Landing
North Kennebunk
 Wells (1)
West Kennebunk



Alewive

1897 August 6:
   Lyman (2) post office was renamed as Alewive post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1904 March 31:
   Alewive post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Kennebunk (2)

1791 June 6:
   Kennebunk (2) post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1833 March 26:
   The circular postmark is 26–27 mm in diameter. Note that the postmark is “Kennebunk M”. (notation; letter)
      

1833 November 29:
   The circular postmark is 26–27 mm in diameter. Note that the postmark is “Kennebunk M”. (notation; letter (page 1), letter (page 2))
      

1833 March 26:
   The circular postmark is 26–27 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      

1842 April 23:
   The circular postmark is approximately 27 mm in diameter. (notation; letter (page 1), letter (page 2))
      

1848 December 25:
   The circular postmark is 26–27 mm in diameter. (notation; letter)
      

1849 December 13:
   The circular postmark is approximately 33 mm in diameter. (letter)
      

1882 October 7 through 1882 December 11:
   The circular postmark is 30–31 mm in diameter.
         

1884 November 17:
   The circular postmark is approximately 31 mm in diameter.
      

1894 March 13:
   The circular postmark is approximately 27 mm in diameter.
      

date?:
   Kennebunk post office.
      

1896 January 13 through 1899 July 28:
   The circular postmark is approximately 27 mm in diameter.
         

1905 September 19:
   The circular postmark is 28–29 mm in diameter.
      

1939 December 4:
   The circular postmark is approximately 27 mm in diameter.
      

1946 June 6:
   The circular postmark is 20–21 mm in diameter.
      

today:
   Kennebunk (2) post office is still in operation.


Kennebunk Beach

1883 August 15:
   Kennebunk Beach post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

date?:
   Kennebunk Beach post office.
      

1935 August 12:
   The circular postmark is 32–33 mm in diameter. The four horizontal bars to the right of the circle are just under 6 mm apart on center.
      

1965 September 10 through 1965 September 14:
   The circular postmark is 33–34 mm in diameter. The outside vertical height of the four horizontal bars to the right of the circle is 19–20 mm.
         

1967 May 19:
   Kennebunk Beach post office closed. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)


Kennebunk Depot

1844 March 13:
   Kennebunk Depot post office opened. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)

1867 May 9:
   The outer circle of the postmark is approximately 30 mm in diameter; the inner, approximately 16 mm.
      

1887 October 19:
   Kennebunk Depot post office was renamed as West Kennebunk post office. (source: Maine Philatelic Society. 1995. The Post Offices of Maine: A Rarity Guide.)