While vacationing recently in Camden, Maine, I picked up a copy of the local newspaper, The Working Waterfront. An article caught my attention about island post offices and their possible demise as local social and economic institutions. To promote their continued existence it was suggested mainland postal patrons purchase stamps from island post offices rather than online. In my opinion, this makes perfect sense as a way to maintain the social fabric of island communities. Here is the article from their September, 2009 edition and an order form to send to an island post office of your choice:
Below you find a form ready to fill out, clip and mail to one of Maine’s small island post offices. Regular readers know (from stories we’ve run in the past) that small island post offices are constantly in danger of being closed down by the U.S. Postal Service, because their volume is small. Selling stamps by mail is one way these important community institutions can keep up their volume, and stay in business to serve island communities.
Island Post Offices & Zip Codes:
Cliff Island…04019
Long Island…04050
Chebeague…04017
North Haven…04853
Swan’s Island…04685
Cranberry Isles…04625
Isle au Haut…04645
Islesford…04646
Islesboro…04848
Matinicus…04851
Monhegan…04852
Peaks Island…04108
Frenchboro…04635
Thank you. Other items available upon request. Please do not send cash. Enclose this order form plus check or money order payable to U.S. Postal Service. Orders of $200 or more will be sent by Certified Mail and must be signed for on delivery.
You can printout the order form here. You can also get a better understanding of the concerns of island and rural communities by reading The Working Waterfront article titled “Maine island post offices fight for survival”. (The above article is reprinted with permission of Island Institute, a membership-based community development organization).
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