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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Join me for the Washington State Museum Day festivities at the Cowlitz County Historical Museum in Kelso on August 8 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The Kelso PO will have a temporary postal station at the museum open 12:30-3:30 offering a special pictorial postmark designed by me! cowlitzcountyhistory.org

cowlitzcountyhistory.org

Cowlitz County Historical Society

Alive with History!

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

The aurora from SW Washington tonight. #aurora

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

On May 16 I will give a presentation on current and former post offices in the Longview, WA area, and Oregon offices on the Columbia River with ties to Cowlitz County. Event runs from 1:00-3:00pm at the Rainier Oregon Historical Museum. Book signing to follow. More info here: www.rainiermuseum.org

rainiermuseum.org

Rainier Oregon Historical Museum ROHM

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

On January 24 I will be giving a presentation on the current and former post offices around Woodland, WA and up the Lewis River Valley. The event runs from 2:00-4:00pm at the Woodland Community Library. A book signing will follow. More info here: fvrlibraries.bibliocommons.com/events/68f95...

fvrlibraries.bibliocommons.com

Local Author Presentation & Book Signing

Local author Ted Gruber will give a presentation on the history of the Woodland post office, along with histories of current and former Cowlitz County post offices in the Woodland area and up the Lewi...

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 25/11/2025

I'm proud to announce my book "Postal History of Cowlitz County, Washington" was awarded a large gold medal in the philatelic literature exhibition held at Chicagopex 2025 from November 21-23. #postalhistory #cowlitz

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

I'm proud to announce my book "Postal History of Cowlitz County, Washington" was awarded a gold medal in the philatelic literature exhibition held at the 2025 Great American Stamp Show (GASS) in Chicago from August 14-17. GASS is the premier annual national philatelic event in the US. #GASS #Cowlitz

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

The Pigeon Springs, WA post office operated from 1913 to 1924 at a rustic resort and hotel (really more of a lodge) about 17 miles up the Kalama River. Access from Kalama proved costly and difficult, contributing to the demise of the enterprise. #cowlitz #postalhistory #kalama #pigeonsprings

Picture post card with a Pigeon Springs type B 4-bar postmark dated February 6, 1920. Franked with a one cent Washington stamp, the card is addressed to Portland, Oregon. Its message mentions good fishing.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

This post card bears the only known example of an Elk Creek, WA postmark. This remote post office operated 1912-1917 and its site is within the 1980 Mount St. Helens blast zone. The card was sent in 1913 by Pearl Gould, the first and only Elk Creek postmaster. #cowlitz #postalhistory #mountsthelens

Divided back post card franked with a one-cent stamp cancelled by an Elk Creek type B 4-bar postmark dated October 17, 1913. Sent to Oakville, Washington.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

I will be participating in the Columbia River Author Festival at the Longview Library in Longview, WA on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Book signing from 10:00am to 4:00pm, short presentation on the history of the Longview post office at 12:30pm. #cowlitz #postalhistory #washington #longview #pnw

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

I will be giving a presentation on Cowlitz County postal history at the annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest Postal History Society at 1:00pm on Saturday, May 3 at the PIPEX stamp show in Clackamas, OR. A book signing will follow. All are welcome to attend. #cowlitz #postalhistory #pipex #pnwphs

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 23/03/2025

This 1891 registered cover from Tucker, WA is franked with 16¢ postage paying the 10¢ registration fee plus the 6¢ first class rate for a letter weighing more than two ounces but not more than three ounces. Tucker post office operated from 1885 to 1906. #cowlitz #postalhistory #washington #tucker

Registered cover from Tucker, Washington franked with Scott #226 and two copies of Scott #220 on an uprated 2¢ postal stationery entire. A lightly struck Tucker postmark dated April 9, 1891 is at lower right. It was sent to Woodburn, Oregon by Captain C. N. Hogan, who had earlier purchased the land holdings of Tucker’s first postmaster, Noyes Smith. Hogan's wife Mary was postmaster when this cover was mailed.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 03/03/2025

Birds eye view of Kalama, Washington from about 1910. #cowlitz #postalhistory #kalama #washington

Birds eye view of Kalama, Washington showing houses, businesses, and churches.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

The Silver Lake, WA post office operated from 1875 to 1876, and again from 1885 to 1985. It moved into this building about 1964 and operated there until it was discontinued in 1985. A community mailbox now marks its site. Photo taken June 1972. #cowlitz #postalhistory #postoffice #silverlake

The image shows a small wooden structure with a central door and two windows, one on each side of the door. The window to the right has a post office decal. There is a small sign between the door and the window to the right. The sign reads "US Post Office" on the top line and "Silver Lake" on the bottom line. The ZIP code 98645 is immediately below the sign and appears to have been added later. A small mailbox mounted on a post is just to the right of the door. A flagpole with a United States flag is immediately to the left of the building.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

The Saint Helen, WA post office operated from 1893 to 1936 in at least four locations in the North Fork of the Toutle River valley about 25 miles east of Castle Rock. This 1903 example shows the earlier of the two known Saint Helen postmark types. #cowlitz #postalhistory #sainthelen #mountsthelens

Postal card (Scott #UX18) with a Saint Helen, Washington circular date stamp (CDS) and target killer. Postmarked January 10, 1903, it was sent to the Assistant Land Commissioner for the Northern Pacific Railroad in Tacoma.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

The Columbia River Bridge (now Lewis & Clark Bridge) connecting Longview, WA with Rainier, OR opened at 2:00pm on March 29, 1930. Before the bridge opened, the mail route between Longview and Rainier used a ferry across the river. #cowlitz #postalhistory #longview #columbiariver #bridge #rainier

Post card franked with a 1¢ stamp (Scott #632) and postmarked with a Rainier, Oregon machine cancel dated March 29, 1930. The card is addressed to Longview, Washington. The sender's message states this is the first mail across the bridge and asked the sender to "please save" the card. An elliptical marking struck in purple is at the bottom center and was applied to mail carried on the first trip.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 11/01/2025

This view of Olequa, Washington from about 1909 shows the Bertrand store, the two-story building on the right side of the Northern Pacific tracks. Olequa post office operated from 1875 to 1912, and at the time of this photo, was inside the Bertrand store. #cowlitz #postalhistory #olequa #washington

The picture shows the dual Northern Pacific railroad tracks running through the small town of Olequa, Washington. A residence and a two-story building are on the left side of the tracks. A small covered platform on the right side of the tracks is the Olequa railroad station. Just to the right of that is a two-story building that housed the George Bertrand store.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 29/12/2024

This 1949 registered air mail cover sent from Kelso, WA to South West Africa (now Namibia) reached its final destination in just 7 days despite being forwarded within SWA. The 50¢ postage pays the 25¢ air mail rate + 25¢ registry fee with minimum indemnity. #cowlitz #postalhistory #kelso #airmail

The front side of the cover is franked with a 25¢ Presidential (#831) and a 25¢ 1947 air mail stamp (#C36), both tied by two strikes of a mute oval cancel. The cover is addressed to Okahandja, South West Africa but forwarded to Swakopmund, SWA. A double oval Okahandja transit postmark dated March 11, 1949 is also present.

The back side of the cover has seven postmarks. There are two strikes of a Kelso, WA round dater postmark applied March 4, 1949 across the envelope seal. There is also a purple New York, NY Air Mail Field receiving postmark dated March 5, a Windhoek, SWA transit postmark dated March 10, two strikes of the same Okahandja postmark dated March 11, and a Swakopmund postmark, also dated March 11 (the final destination).

Both sides of the envelope have the red and blue air mail border.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 20/12/2024

The substantial damage from the July 27, 1907 fire at Stella, Washington is evident in this split view post card showing the Stella waterfront before and after the fire. Note the tall ship docked at left in the earlier view. #cowlitz #postalhistory #stella #fires #columbiariver #washington

Split view real photo post card with the upper view showing the Stella waterfront on the Columbia River before the July 1907 fire, and the lower view showing what was lost in the fire.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

A fire destroyed much of the Stella waterfront, including the store housing the post office, on July 27, 1907. The postmark device in use was lost in the fire. Dated July 30, this is the only known example of the emergency manuscript postmark used right after the fire. #cowlitz #postalhistory #fires

A divided back post card franked with Scott #300 canceled in indelible pencil, along with a "Stella, Wash. 7/30/07" postmark. Sent to Portland, Oregon. Message states the sender is at Oak Point, Washington.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 14/12/2024

This 1869 cover sent from Freeport to Astoria, OR traveled the overland mail route from Freeport to Vancouver, WA. It should have then gone by the Columbia River steamboat mail route west to Astoria, but it was mistakenly sent east and ended up in Salt Lake City 8 days later. #cowlitz #postalhistory

Postal stationery entire with a manuscript Freeport, WT (Washington Territory) postmark dated June 24, 1869. Addressed to Astoria, Oregon but mistakenly sent to Salt Lake City. A double circle Salt Lake City postmark dated July 2 with a duplexed target killer, along with a straightline MISSENT auxiliary marking, documented the delay.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

On this card to Switzerland, the sender affixed a 1¢ stamp when the UPU international post card rate was 2¢. Postage due was 2¢ (10 centimes) because it was subject to twice the deficient amount (2x 1¢). But something else is wrong. Can you see it? #cowlitz #postalhistory #kalama #washington

Post card mailed from Kalama, Washington to Switzerland has a duplex postmark and is franked with Scott #300. It was then forwarded to the recipient under "Poste Restante" (analogous to general delivery in the US). A 10 centimes due marking was applied in New York, and a Swiss 10 centimes postage due stamp is tied by a Zurich postmark. Two other Zurich postmarks are also present.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 08/12/2024

The steamer “Lurline” is shown leaving the Oak Point docks about 1911. The Lurline and other Columbia River steamboats supplied mail to Stella and Oak Point until 1914. #cowlitz #postalhistory #oakpoint #washington #columbiariver #steamboat #lurline

The picture shows the Oak Point docks extending over the Columbia River. Logs are on the docks ready for shipment. The steamboat "Lurline" is leaving the docks, heading downriver. A wake is left from the steamer's paddle wheel.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

The Barnes store at Silver Lake, shown about 1912, was owned by postmaster Frank Barnes and housed the Silver Lake post office. Barnes sold the store in January 1919, but the post office remained there through two other postmasters until the store burned in 1925. #cowlitz #postalhistory #silverlake

The Barnes store at Silver Lake is a two-story building. There is a group of about 10 people standing outside the entrance. A horse and carriage are also parked alongside the building.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

This 1853 or 1854 stampless cover with an Oak Point W.T. manuscript postmark applied by postmaster Alexander Abernethy is the earliest known postmark from what is now Cowlitz County. The Oak Point post office was established in 1851 while part of Oregon Territory. #cowlitz #postalhistory #oakpoint

Stampless cover from Oak Point, Washington to Hebron, New York with a Paid 6 marking showing the postage paid.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

This cover bears a Monticello W.T. manuscript postmark from either 1860 or 1861. The stamp was among those demonetized starting in September 1861 because of the Civil War. The Monticello post office operated from 1850 to 1876 and was the first post office established in what is now Cowlitz County.

Cover with a manuscript postmark franked with Scott #35.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

This is the earliest known postmark from Longview, Washington, just one week after the post office began operations on January 16, 1923. The unusual two-word spelling LONG VIEW was simply a mistake made when the postmark device was created. #cowlitz #postalhistory #longview

Cover with a Longview, Washington type C/1 4-bar postmark dated January 23, 1923. Sent to Kerry, Oregon.

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Ted Gruber @cowlitzbook.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

Postal History of Cowlitz County, Washington is a 294-page book by Ted Gruber. The book is written not just for a postal history audience, but for anybody interested in the history of southwest Washington. Available through www.cowlitzbook.com. #cowlitz #postalhistory #postoffice #history

The book cover contains the book title, covers with Cowlitz County postmarks, and buildings that once housed post offices.

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