The Portland Post Office has been delivering mail since the Revolution
Portland Marks 250 Years of Postal Service in Celebration
In a sun‑blasted ceremony on Thursday, July 2, city officials, postal workers and local residents gathered on the steps of the Portland Main Post Office on Forest Avenue to honor a quarter‑century of mail service in the city. The event coincided with the United States’ 250th anniversary and highlighted the historic continuity of Portland’s post office, one of only 62 post offices nationwide that have remained open since the national postal system was founded in 1775.
At the heart of the celebration was a proclamation from Mayor Mark Dion and a speech from Postmaster Michael Hakey. Mayor Dion emphasized the essential nature of the postal service, saying, “We think government built this county? No. We think the county was built because of the powers of the military? No. It was built because of all of you connecting each one of us and creating community. You are a foundational service, and as long as this country stands, it will because the postal service will be there for it.” He also thanked the letter carriers for their work in the extreme heat that has marked the summer so far.
Postmaster Hakey opened the ceremony by noting the enduring presence of postal service in Portland, a tradition that traces back to the American Revolution. He described how the city’s post office has evolved over the last two and a half centuries, from its original location in what was then Falmouth, Massachusetts, to its present home on Forest Avenue.
The first post office in Portland was established across from what is now a parking lot near Micucci Grocery at the intersection of Middle and India streets. There, colonial residents received mail on the first Independence Day, 1776. In 1868 the post office moved to a building on Market and Exchange streets in the area now called Post Office Park. That structure, which stood until 1965, was replaced by the current brick colonial‑revival building on Forest Avenue in 1932. The building’s architecture is a reminder of the city’s long‑standing commitment to connecting its citizens.
Postal employee Dana Rivers, a 28‑year‑old letter carrier whose route spans the downtown corridor between the Time and Temperature Building and Nosh restaurant, shared that she was unaware of much of the post office’s history until a few weeks ago. After learning that Portland would celebrate the day, Rivers conducted her own research and spoke with staff at the Maine Historical Society, located on her delivery route, to trace the lineage of the postal service in the city.
Rivers also highlighted a pair of red Japanese mailboxes now found in Post Office Park. Donated by Portland’s sister city, Shinagawa, in 1989, the boxes serve as a visual reminder of international ties and the post office’s global role.
The gathering took place at a time of record heat, with temperatures reaching some of the highest levels of the year. Mayor Dion’s remarks, delivered under a canopy of shade at the top of the steps, were meant to provide some relief to the crowd and to thank the postal workers who continue to deliver mail in the sweltering conditions.
The event was organized to celebrate not only the postal service’s longevity but also its integral role in the fabric of the community. The city’s proclamation underscored that postal workers perform vital, behind‑the‑scenes work that keeps both Portland and the country running smoothly.
As the ceremony concluded, attendees reflected on the post office’s journey from a colonial outpost to a modern hub of communication. The celebration served as a reminder that the postal service remains a cornerstone of American life, even as new technologies transform how people exchange information.
