When it comes to the upcoming solar eclipse, Salem has already made its national mark via the U.S. Postal Service, displayed on the map printed on the back of the new Total Eclipse Forever Stamps sheet showing the coast-to-coast path of the Monday, Aug. 21, eclipse.
Those stamps, which were issued last month, feature a historic first for postage stamps – when the image of the eclipse is touched by a finger, the warmth reveals a photo of the moon.
On the date of the eclipse itself, the Salem Post Office will make another mark on history, offering a commemorative Aug. 21 postmark celebrating the capital city’s place in the path of totality.
As part of the Capitol’s celebration, this collectible postmark will be available in the Galleria of the Capitol building from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the 21st, and will be applied free to envelopes, cards or other paper items bearing Total Eclipse stamps or any other current U.S. First-Class postage stamps. At the Salem Post Office’s booth, eclipse and other postage stamps will be available for sale.
Also on Monday, acting Salem Postmaster Carter Clark will present a framed memento of the Postal Service’s commemoration of the celestial event to Gov. Kate Brown at the Capitol.
The Oregon Capitol Store is joining in the stamp collecting fun on Aug. 21 by offering limited-edition collectible envelopes with the Total Eclipse stamps and special Salem postmark already applied. The envelope celebrates Salem as the nation’s first state capital to be in the eclipse’s path. The envelopes are limited to 1,000 and will sell for $1.50 each at the gift shop. The store will open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 21. To contact the Oregon Capitol Store, call 503-986-1391.
The Salem postmark will also be available all day Aug. 21 at the Salem Main Post Office, 1050 25th St. Postal customers who want to obtain Salem’s special postmark may request it via mail by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope inside another, larger envelope, to the following address:
ECLIPSE POSTMARK
PO BOX 9998
SALEM OR 97301-9998
Mailed self-addressed, stamped envelopes will be postmarked at the appropriate city and then returned via regular mail. Postmark requests must be mailed to each Post Office individually to obtain that city’s postmark. Mailed requests for postmarks must be sent no later than Sept. 21, 2017, in order to be fulfilled.
Salem is one of 30 Post Offices in Oregon and one in Southwest Washington joining with residents and visitors to celebrate the eclipse’s journey across the state. (A list of the locations follows.)
OREGON/SW WASHINGTON POST OFFICES WITH SPECIAL AUG. 21 ECLIPSE POSTMARKS:
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 PO
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 SE 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
Stayton Post Office
383 N. 2nd Ave.
Stayton OR 97383
Spray Post Office
701 Willow St.
Spray OR 97874
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
Salem’s postmark will be available at the State Capitol on the morning of the eclipse at festivities being held there. Others will be available at the Post Office facilities listed.
Postal customers who want to obtain a postmark from any of the locations 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 Example: ECLIPSE POSTMARK
PO BOX 9998 PO BOX 9998
CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE BAKER CITY OR 97814
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.