Total Eclipse Postmarks

We've talked about just how cool the special heat-sensitive ink stamps for the eclipse are, but did you know there are super special postmarks too? There are! Here's a list of post offices in the path of totality which are offering commemorative cancellations for the event. I know it's a late notice, but hey, I got a newspaper clipping mailed to me about it. (Thanks Eliza!) 

Aurora Post Office  212 W. Main St. Aurora OR  97002 Baker City Post Office  1550 Dewey Ave. Baker City OR 97814 Dallas Post Office 768 SW Church St. Dallas OR 97338 Dayville Post Office 145 E. Franklin Ave. Dayville OR 97825 Depoe Bay Post Office 486 N. Hwy. 101 Depoe Bay OR 97341 Detroit Post Office 170 Detroit Ave. Detroit OR 97342 Donald Post Office 10751 Main St. NE Donald OR 97020 Gates Post Office 101 W. Central St. Gates OR 97346 Gervais Post Office 380 Douglas Ave. NE Gervais OR  97026 Hubbard Post Office 3016 G St. Hubbard OR 97032 Huntington Post Office 10 E Washington St. Huntington OR 97907 Idanha Post Office 103 Oregon Hwy. 22 Idanha OR 97350 John Day Post Office 151 N. Canyon Blvd. John Day OR 97869 Lincoln City Post Office 1501 SE East Devils Lake Rd Lincoln City OR 97367 Long Creek Post Office 610 Hwy. 395 N. Long Creek OR  97856 Lyons Post Office 402 Ironwood St. Lyons OR 97358

Madras Post Office 73 SE 6th St. Madras OR 97741 Mill City Post Office 101 S# Kingwood Ave. Mill City OR 97360 Mitchell Post Office 212 W. Main St. Mitchell OR 97750 Monument Post Office 177 N St. Monument OR 97864 Ocean Park Post Office 25502 Vernon Ave. Ocean Park WA 98640 Ontario Post Office 88 SW 2nd Ave. Ontario OR 97914 Prairie City Post Office 150 SW Main St. Prairie City OR 97869 Prineville Post Office 155 NE Court St. Prineville OR 97754 Redmond Post Office 618 NW Hemlock St. Redmond OR 97756 Salem Main Post Office 1050 25th St. SE Salem OR 97301 Spray Post Office 701 Willow St. Spray OR 97874 Stayton Post Office 383 N. 2nd Ave. Stayton OR 97383 Union Post Office  268 N Main St. Union OR 97883 Unity Post Office 105 Main St. Unity OR 97884 Warm Springs Post Office 2128 Warm Springs Rd. Warm Springs OR 97761

If you want to obtain a postmark from any of the locations, you may request them via mail by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope inside another, larger envelope, to any of the Post Offices on the list above using the following address format:

ECLIPSE POSTMARK 
PO BOX 9998 
CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE 

Mailed requests for postmarks must be sent no later than Sept. 21, 2017.

Comments

[Angela Cracchiolo]

This just "ups" the coolness factor of the Eclipse stamps!

[Joe F.]

Please pardon my dimness (and I swear that's not an eclipse joke), but am I to understand that *all* of the post offices that offer an eclipse postmark should have the cover sent to PO Box 9998? As in:

Eclipse Postmark
PO Box 9998
Lyons, OR 97358

It's possible I need more sleep.

[Amara]

The instructions on how to do this correctly are here, in the USPS Postal Bulletin:
https://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2017/pb22474/pb22474.pdf

p. 73 begins the full list of participating stations and the instructions.

A new postal bulletin comes out every 2 weeks, and always contains this information for every special postmark available in the country (usually toward the back of the publication)
- lots & lots & lots all the time; follow their instructions and it will change your mail-art life.

Happy Dark Side of the Moon Day!

[Donovan Beeson]

Those numbers are just a stand-in, Joe. Use the addresses as listed. Eclipse Postmark, Post Office Address Amaras comment is also really helpful.

[Joe F.]

Many thanks to all. Looking back: yes, I was *definitely* low on sleep. =)

[Karen B]

It looks like yours is from DC? Also, I had read online sometimes it takes years for these special postmarks to come back?

[Donovan Beeson]

Sharp eye, Karen. This one is from D.C. and was sent to me before the eclipse. I think years is an outlier, but a few months isnt out of the question.

[Danielle Morris]

If anyone is trying to figure out which post office they want to request one from, consider Hopkinsville, KY (included in the link from Amara) because it was "The point of greatest eclipse is where the axis of the Moon’s shadow passes closest to the center of the Earth."

Hopkinsville, KY Station Postmaster
105 South Main Street Hopkinsville, KY 42240-9998

https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/greatest-eclipse-and-greatest-duration-what-s-the-difference

[Amara]

Thanks Danielle, YES I want that... and...how about one/some from every state in the path of totality? They're free, except for postage of course... and we all bought the stamps, right? If not yet, they're still available from USPS.com in case your local station has sold out. Remember the Global Forever Moon... just saying, if you're taking the moon theme stamp collage to the extreme.

BTW, 9998 is the nationwide zip suffix & PO Box specifically for the Postmaster of whatever zip code you're sending to. Suggestion: send some happy mail art to the postmaster of your own zip code thanking them for great service using this box & zip specification = good mail karma. I became friends with a postmaster and those people really do have an incredibly stressful job and work hard, all day every day... not everybody is nice to them; they get lots of complaints and deeply appreciate thank yous. There is no easy job at the post office; with good reason, "going postal" is in the dictionary now.

also... the full color digital FDOI (first day of issue) postmarks are available at USPS.com in the collector's shop:
https://store.usps.com/store/browse/productDetailSingleSku.jsp?categoryNavIds=stamp-collectors&categoryNav=false&navAction=push&navCount=5&atg.multisite.remap=false&categoryId=stamp-collectors&productId=S_475321

we missed the window for getting them directly, unless they give it an extension, which could happen in the next postal bulletin (fingers crossed):
http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2017/pb22474/pb22474.pdf
p.82 for full instructions and selection of first day of (stamp) issue postmarks currently available.

Timing of getting postmarks back (or fwd) from eclipse stations depends on the demand & volume they have to process; think about the yearly valentine & Christmas postmarks and how some stations get extra people to help with the volume - it just depends - but in general the PO wants to give timely service. The longest I've waited is 3 weeks; that was not for an event just a general mailing; most have come back - or arrived @ destination - in under or @ 2 weeks; maybe my experience is unusual. My Pony Express mail came back in 10 days sharp, which is ironic, since it was actually carried on horseback for part of the distance (but it didn't have to go out of my state). So, be optimistic... I'm thinking they will be able to handle this special postal event and all our mail efficiently!

[Donovan Beeson]

Wonderful and helpful advice! Thank you