::: Island of Hawaii Postmarks, Part 4 - Olaa to Waipio :::
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Back to Island Of Hawaii.
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This cover to Denver, CO, originated at Volcano House where it was franked with a Hawaii 5¢ Scott No. 39 stamp, marked with a Volcano House red oval Kilauea Crater postmark type 213 (the only recorded cover with this rarity 1R mark) and canceled with the Volcano House red straight line postmark, type 204. The cover went overland to Hilo where it received a purple Hilo type 253.02 postmark and four ring target cancel (ring4-20) on November 23, 1890. From Hilo, it went by interisland steamship to Honolulu where it was postmarked on November 25 (type 231.82) and sent by steamship to San Francisco and thence to Colorado by rail.
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Olaa, Puna District
"dedicated"
1894-1900
Postmasters: J. R. Wilson (1894-1898) and J. W. Mason (1898-1900). The community of Olaa where the post office was located has disappeared from the maps and internet references point to the former name of present day Keaau. However, the 19th century Olaa post office was located in a booming coffee district a little southwest of present-day Kurtistown on the carriage road from Hilo to Volcano House. Construction of the macadamized carriage road, known as Volcano Road, was commenced in 1889 and completed in 1894.
J. R. Wilson, the postmaster for Olaa, owned Volcano Stables in Hilo and was the contractor for mail south of Hilo, including the Puna and Ka'u districts. Beginning in August, 1893, Wilson operated a daily stage between Hilo and Volcano House. Tourists taking the carriage to see the volcano could stop for refreshments at a “half-way house” located at Olaa. A hotel, located a few miles west at Mountain View (see Mountain View) was another stop for refreshments or an over-night stay. Wilson owned the half-way house and the hotel.
In the mid to late 1890s, Olaa and Mountain View were part of a Volcano Road “postal service” managed by Wilson who kept Postmaster General Oat and Hilo postmaster Severance apprised of how he managed mail distribution at the places where he left mail. He also picked up mail left at distribution sites and carried it back to Hilo or Olaa to be postmarked. Rather than formal appointments for local postmasters, Wilson’s commission as Olaa postmaster was seen as covering the route and he was left to use his best judgment. Correspondence describing Wilson’s arrangements along Volcano Road sometimes fuse Olaa and Mountain View. It seems that when Wilson began his carriage service to Volcano House, he left mail in boxes for local coffee planters living along the route and also left mail at Richardson’s store in Mountain View and then at his hotel. He made his hotel manager at Mountain View, A.E. Sutton, his Mountain View postmaster. Wilson suggested giving Sutton a commission as postmaster, but Oat decided to leave Wilson as postmaster (thus Wilson’s Olaa commission was seen as covering the route). Wilson left the affairs of the Olaa post office in charge of J.R. Ryan, the manager of Olaa store. Wilson left the area in 1897, John Mason, a local coffee planter who lived about ¼ of a mile from the Mountain View hotel where he had been looking after the mail since 1894, was put in charge as postmaster of Olaa and Mountain View.
Olaa Sugar Company came along in 1899 and built a mill near the junction of the Volcano Road and Pahoa Road a few miles northeast of the Olaa store. Sugar plantations replaced coffee trees and a new Olaa village grew around the mill. The Olaa Plantation post office was set up next to the mill at the Olaa terminus of the Hilo Consolidated Railway. A post office was established in the new village near the mill and named Keaau.
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Cover bearing the Likelike Coffee Plantation corner card and postmarked at Olaa on July 28, 1899 with Olaa postmark type 253.9a1.
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801
manuscript
Olaa
Rarity: 1RRR
Usage: c. 1894
Noted on Scott No. 75
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Olaa manuscript
(Courtesy of Bear Stamps)
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803
manuscript
Olaa/date
Rarity: 1R
Usage: May 25, 1894 to July 9, 1894
Noted on Scott No. 75
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May 25, 1894
May 25, 1894
(retroreveal enhanced)
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809
manuscript
Olaa/jm
Rarity: 1RRRR
Usage: c. 1894
Noted on Scott No. 75
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Olaa 809 ms
Olaa 809 ms detail
(retroreveal enhanced)
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281.9a13
31mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle; with a duplex target cancel
Color: Purple, Green,
Black, Red
Scarcity: 3
Usage: July __, 1894 to January 15, 1898
The device was broken in 1897 and a horizontal date was improvised. The device was
repaired by January, 1898.
I have black on September, 1894, purple on November 3, 1894, green from April 10, 1896 to February 17, 1897 and purple again in
later strikes.
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September 13, 1894, black
January 21, 1896
January 21, 1896
(retroreveal enhanced)
December 21, 1896
(Courtesy of Gary Peters)
February 17, 1897, Green
__, 27, 1897
Broken device with horizontal dater
January 4, 1898
(Courtesy of Don Collins)
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253.9a1
27mm double lined circle; with duplex target cancel; later strikes have single lined circles
Color: Purple, Blue
Scarcity: 3
Usage: April 20, 1898 to May __, 1900
I have a very bluish mark dated October 21, 1898.
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April 20, 1898 (EDU)
double lined outer circle
October 21, 1898
Blue
December 6, 1898
December 6, 1898
(retroreveal enhanced)
July 28, 1898
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Olaa Plantation, Puna District
1898-1900
Postmaster: F. B. McStocker. In 1899, stamp sales were about $60.
This post office was located at the Olaa terminus of the Hawaiian Consolidated Railway, by the junction of Volcano Road and Pahoa Road (see Olaa for a description of the different post offices around Olaa/Keaau and along Volcano Road from Hilo to Volcano House.
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259.01
33mm double lined circle
Color: Purple, Blue
Scarcity: 2
Usage: April __, 1898 to December 28, 1900
Blue is dated in September, 1899.
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September _2, 1899, blue
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September 15, 1899
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September 15, 1899
(retroreveal enhanced)
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November 30, 1899, purple
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March 9, 1900
(Courtesy of Gary Peters)
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March 9, 1900
(Courtesy of Gary Peters)
(retroreveal enhanced)
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November 9, 1900
(Courtesy of Gary Peters)
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Onomea, South Hilo District
"something palatable"
1857-1866
Site of the Papaikou office once that office was established. Whether an office
existed here as early as 1857 is unclear, but fifteen sheets of Scott No. 31a were sent
there in 1864-1865, confirming it was a recognized office in those years.
No postmark known.
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Onouli, South Kona District
"dark ono fish"
1863-1869
See Hudsonville for a description of the post offices in Onouli.
No postmark known.
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Ookala, Hamakua District
"sharp digging stick"
1883-1900
Postmasters: J. H. Soper (1883-1884), J. N. Wright (1884-1889), J. B. Hopkins
(1889-1892), Richard Ivers (1892-1895) and W. G. Walker (1898-1900). Ookala was the headquarters for Ookala Sugar Company and Kaiwiki Plantation. The post office was located at the Ookala Sugar Company office. Soper was a sugar planter associated with the Ookala Sugar Company, Wright was the manager of Ookala Sugar Company and a proprietor and manager of Kaiwiki Sugar Company; Walker was manager of Ookala Sugar Company; Hopkins and Ivers probably also were associated with that plantation. Mail volume was about 2,500 to 3,000 letters annually from 1887 to 1894. Stamp sales in 1899 amounted to about $215.
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253.41
27mm double lined circle
Color: Purple, Black
Scarcity: 4
Usage: October 3, 1883 to August __, 1895
The device was worn and new date type was ordered in December, 1889. The new type
protruded from the body of the stamp and caused the mark to be illegible but the
postmaster made it work. In April, 1895, the postmaster again complained about the
worn condition.
I have black strikes in September, 1890.
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July 25, 1884
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July 25, 1884
(retroreveal enhanced)
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September 1, 1890, black
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July 6, 1893
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July 6, 1893
(retroreveal enhanced)
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259.023
33mm double lined circle
Color: Purple, Black
Scarcity: 3
Usage: August __, 1895 to March __, 1900; a strike dated January 8, 1894 is
believed to be an 1896 strike, dated erroneously. I have black strikes in January, 1896.
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January 8, 1894 (1896)
January 27, 1896, black
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Ookala Plantation
Located at Ookala. The Ookala Plantation oval mark was used by the plantation before the Ookala post office was formally established at the plantation headquarters.
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216
single lined inner and outer ovals, 27mm x 25mm
Color: Black, Blue
Rarity: 1RRRR, three strikes are recorded (two strikes are on Scott No. 35 and one strike is on Scott No. 38).
Usage: September 24, 1880 to November 23, 1883
This mark appears to have been used as an Ookala postmark before the post office there was opened formally.
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September 24, 1880
September 24, 1880
(retroreveal enhanced)
January 27, 1881
January 27, 1881
(retroreveal enhanced)
November 23, 1883
(Courtesy of Barry Decker)
November 23, 1883
(Courtesy of Barry Decker)
(retroreveal enhanced)
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Paauhau, Hamakua District
"tribute yard"
1883-1887
Postmaster: Rufus A. Lyman, a sugar planter in Paauhau. Mrs. Lyman was the daughter of former Postmaster General Brickwood. Headquarters for Paauhau Sugar Co. and site of the original Hamakua post office. Lyman was looking after postal affairs here as early as 1880 when he was asked to arrange for mail delivery to Waipio Valley. Stamps were sent to him in January, 1880. The post office was located on the same premises as the former Hamakua post office. The Paauhau office was closed in 1887 because of its proximity to Honokaa.
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Paauhau Store and Post Office, c. early 1900s; this building probably was built too late to serve in the 19th century as Paauhau’s post office, but the style is typical of 19th century post offices connected to country stores. Not the post office lock boxes that were a usual part of the 19th century country post offices. The photograph is undated.
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803
manuscript
Paauhau/date
Rarity: 1RRR
Usage: August __ to September 11, 1883
Noted on Scott No. 38
Burt (Western Express, June, 2001, p. 55) recorded a strike dated September 11, 1883.
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(Courtesy of Gary Peters)
(Courtesy of Gary Peters)
(retroreveal enhanced)
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807
manuscript
P.P.O./date/year
Rarity: 1RRRR, two strikes recorded
Usage: January 26, 1883 to July 20, 1883
Noted on Scott No. UX1 with a Paauhau dateline and also on Scott No. 38
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(Courtesy of Phil Kay)
(Courtesy of Phil Kay)
(retroreveal enhanced)
July 20, 1883
July 20, 1883
(retroreveal enhanced)
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253.41
27mm double lined circle
Color: Purple, Black
Rarity: 1RRR, ten strikes recorded
Usage: December 24, 1885 to March 3, 1887
Black noted October 28, 1886 and January 28, 1887.
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January 21, 1886, purple
January 21, 1886
(retroreveal enhanced)
March 3, 1887, black
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Paauilo, Hamakua District
"low grade kapa"
1883-1900
Postmasters: R. Robinson (1859), Chas. Notley (1883-1884), H. Zerbe (1884-1887), J. R. Renton (1888-1898), Geo. Paty (acting October, 1889), Podmore (acting 1896-1898) and Anthony Lidgate (1898-1900). The brief 1859 post office under Robinson was discontinued because the Hamakua and Laupahoehoe post offices were deemed adequate for the region; the Paauilo records and post office property were transferred to Hamakua and Paauilo was left without a post office. Sugar planting arrived at Paauilo in 1883 when the Hamakua Mill Company was incorporated. The post office was re-opened that year; the mill opened in 1885. Notley, the new postmaster, managed Hamakua Plantation Company. Postmasters Renton, Paty, Podmore and Lidgate also managed the Paauilo store, where the post office was located. At least from Renton forward, the postmasters were affiliated with Hamakua Mill Company. Around 1899, the two companies combined. Mail volume was about 5,000 letters in 1887 and about 6,000 to 7,500 letters annually from 1888 to 1894, including about 375 registered letters annually. Stamp sales in 1899 were about $600.
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Postmarked at Paauilo with style 202 and at Kukuihaele on November 8, 1898, type 281.02. Picked up by the Kawaihae to Hilo via Hamakua overland carrier at Kukuihaele and taken to Hilo (stamped November 9, 1898 on the reverse, Hilo type 271.035). Mail picked up along the overland route was carried in an unlocked bag. The carrier may have spent the night at Paauilo and taken the mail to the post office for safe keeping, as was often the case.
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803
manuscript
Paauilo/date
Rarity: 1RRR
This listing is tentative. Burns wrote: “Manuscript “Paauilo/Aug” on the 1864 issue. That manuscript is recorded on Scott No. 38, actually, and is attributed to Paauhau (but could have been from Paauilo). A confirmed Paauilo manuscript postmark is not recorded.”
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No image available.
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281.013
30mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple, Blue,
Black
Estimated: 6
Usage: September __, 1883 to __, 1894 (noted without date on Scott No. 75)
Early strikes are in blue and purple strikes are later. The “black” strikes I have seen so far are purplish black.
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February 3, 1886, blue
May 5, 1888, purple
__, 16, 1889, black
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282.011
33mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple, Red,
Black
Estimated: 7
Usage: October __, 1890 to October 13, 1898
The cancel stamp was worn, with the rubber falling off the metal disc and was lost
on October 30, 1898. The postmaster glued the rubber to the disc sometime in 1896 to
attempt a repair, but it fell apart again in 1898. A makeshift arrangement was
adopted with type 202 to provide a date.
Red strikes I have seen are dated in 1893.
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April 17, 1893
April 17, 1893
(retroreveal enhanced)
October 10, 1896
December 8, __, red
black ink
Hybrid, November 8, __; this strike combines a date made with slugs from the type 282.011 device and postmark type 202.
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202
straightline
Color: Black
Scarcity 2, twenty-nine strikes recorded, most showing a small portion of the mark
Usage: November 8, 1898
This locally constructed mark was considered a private mark (Davey/Bash type 609) for Paauilo
Plantation but the Post Office correspondence shows the mark was used as a postmark by
the Paauilo office.
One strike is noted with date slugs removed from the broken type 282.011 (See the hybrid mark shown with type 282.011 date slugs) device. Type 202 was used after type
282.011 fell apart.
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On cover with Kukuihaele postmark dated
November 8, 1898
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203
straightline
Color: Black
Black
Rarity: 1RR, eleven strikes recorded
Usage: November 8, 1898 – November 25, 1898
This mark was considered a private mark (Davey/Bash type 610) for Paauilo
Plantation but the Post Office correspondence shows the mark was used as a postmark by
the Paauilo office.
This locally made device apparently was discarded in favor of staying with type 202 because type 203 made poor
impressions.
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November 9, 1898
November 9, 1898
(retroreveal enhanced)
November 9, 1898
November 9, 1898
(retroreveal enhanced)
November 2_, __
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253.01
27mm double lined circle; later strikes have single lined circles
Color: Purple
Estimated: 6
Usage: January __, 1899 to April __, 1900
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March 9, 1899
double lined circle
September 20, 1899
single lined circle
February 10, 1900
hybrid with dater from some other device
March 10, 1899
black
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259.01
33mm double lined circle
Color: Purple, Blue
Rarity: 1RR, nine strikes are recorded
Usage: April __, 1900 to May 25, 1900
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April 13, 1900, blue
(Courtesy of Phil Kay)
May 4, 1900, purple
May 4, 1900
(retroreveal enhanced)
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Pahala, Ka'u District
"fertilizer plant" as in burnt mulch
1878-1900
Postmasters: George Wilfong (1878-1879) and Thomas C. Mills (1879-1900). Pahala was headquarters for Hawaiian Agricultural Company, a cooperative style sugar plantation established in 1876, with numerous individual growers and a mill at Pahala. Steamships stopped at Punaluu landing and, starting in 1891, carriages ran from there via Pahala to Volcano House and competed for tourist business with the Hilo to Volcano House road. Mail service was by steamships landing mail at Punaluu or by overland carrier from Hilo. Mail volume averaged about 3,500 to 4,000 letters annually from 1887 to 1894. Stamp sales in 1899 amounted to about $425.
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281.01 (I)
30mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple, Blue,
Black
Estimated: 6
Usage: September __, 1882 to December 10, 1896
I have black strikes dated from March 3, 1884 to June 1, 1884 plus an October date,
blue on May 5, 1886 and February 2, 1887 and purple thereafter.
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January 22, 1896, purple
January 22, 1896
(retroreveal enhanced)
February 2, 1887, blue
March 3, 1884, black
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253.01
27mm double lined circle; later strikes have single lined circles
Color: Purple
Scarcity: 3
Usage: March 4, 1897 to November __, 1898
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May 27, 1897
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281.01 (II)
30mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple
Scarcity: 3
Usage: February 4, 1898 to July 29, 1900 under U. S. Administration
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February 19, 1898
February 19, 1898
(retroreveal enhanced)
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Papa, South Kona District
"forbidden"
1875-1900
Unofficial letter collection box and meeting point for overland carriers between Ka'u and Kona; site of the Buckholtz Plantation, inland and northeast of Hoopuloa.
No postmark known.
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Postal card (UX8) datelined at Buckholtz Plantation, Papa, November 17, 1897, and sent to Hilo by the overland carrier via Waiohinu (type 259.03 dated November 20, 1897) and Pahala (type 253.01, dated November 21, 1897).
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Cover forwarded to Papa from Honolulu (type 231.82 dated November 18, 1898, franked with a vertical pair of 2¢ Liliuokalani stamps (Scott No. 57).
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Papaaloa, North Hilo District
"much burnt"
1899-1900
Postmaster: A. C. Palfrey (1899-1900). Laupahoehoe Plantation moved its headquarters from Laupahoehoe to Papaaloa in 1889. Many residents of the “Hill” section of Laupahoehoe moved with it and agitated for a new post office at Paauilo. Barnard, the Laupahoehoe postmaster opposed the idea and it took ten years before a post office was established at Papaaloa. Palfrey, the postmaster, was employed by the plantation. Stamp sales in 1899 were about $680.
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253.01
27mm double lined circle; later strikes have single lined circles
Color: Purple, Black,
Red
Rarity: 1RR, twelve strikes recorded
Usage: March 3, 1899 to May 11, 1900
Red is noted on May 11, 1900
This mark was mistakenly typed as 255.01, but its size makes it 253.01.
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March 31, 1899, purple
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April 25, 1900, red
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Papaikou, South Hilo District
"Ko'u huts"
1896-1900
Postmasters: G. E. Thrum (1896-1898), H. L. Achilles (1898-1899) and J. H. Bole (1899). Site of Onomea Plantation with a landing. The post office was in the plantation office and the postmasters were employed by the plantation. Mail service was by overland carrier to nearby Hilo. Stamp sales in 1899 were about $70.
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255.01
29mm double lined circle
Color: Purple, Black,
Red
Scarcity: 2
Usage: April 25, 1896 to May 26, 1900
Twenty-nine strikes are recorded in the census. The earlier downgrade to 4 seems harsh, the rarity is changed to 2. My feeling is that it is more common than a 1R.
I have purple strikes from April 25, 1896 to May, 1897, black from October 7, 1897
to at least May 26, 1900.
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December 25, 1897
December 25, 1897
(retroreveal enhanced)
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Paukaa, South Hilo District
"consumed"
1888-1900
There was some sort of mail facility here, probably a collection box for the
overland carrier.
No postmark known.
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Pepeekeo, Hilo District
"food crushed" – as by warriors in battle
1888-1900
This is another mystery facility, an unofficial letter collection place.
No postmark known.
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Pohoiki, Puna District
"small hollow"
1893-1900
Postmaster: Mrs. R. Rycroft (1893-1900). This office was the first to be located
in the Puna District. Stamp sales were about $80 in 1899. Mail service was overland from Hilo.
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281.9a1
31mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle; with a duplex target cancel
Color: Purple, Black,
Blue
Rarity: 1RR; twelve strikes are recorded in the census
Usage: December __, 1893 to February 9, 1900
This device showed much wear by late 1898.
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January 10, 1894, purple
January 10, 1894
(retroreveal enhanced)
August 4, 1899, blue, worn device
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Puehuehu, North Kohala District
"scattered"
1880-1887
Postmasters: Jas. Richardson (1880-1881), F. L. Leslie (1881-1882), C. L. Hopkins (1882), Dr. J. Wight (1883), H. P. Wood (1883-1885), J. Haig MacKenzie (1886-1887) and Mr. Sisson (1887). The post office was located at the Star Mill railroad station near the coast, roughly north of present day Hawi.
Postmasters Wight, Wood and MacKenzie, during their respective terms, also served as postmasters of the Kohala office (located at Halawa or Kapaau).
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282.016
33mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Black, Purple
Scarcity: 2, thirty strikes are recorded
Usage: August __, 1882 to December 3, 1886
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June 2, 1883, black
June 2, 1883, black
(retroreveal enhanced)
May 8, 1885, purple
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Punaluu, Ka'u District
"scattered coral"
1890-1900
Postmasters: G. Namanu (1875-1891) and Wm. Fennell (1891-1900). The post office was near Ka'u landing used
by tourists bound for Kilauea Volcano and terminus of a rail line to Pahala. Mail volume from 1890 to 1894 averaged about 1,000 letters annually. After the office was opened, there was delay in sending the dating stamp. One was supplied in September,
1891, but without date type.
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Punaluu c. 1900
(Courtesy Hawaii State Archives)
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Punaluu Landing, c. 1900
(Courtesy Hawaii State Archives)
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Punaluu carriage for Volcano House
(Courtesy Hawaii State Archives)
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801
manuscript
Punaluu
Rarity: 1RRR
Noted on Scott No. 35
This manuscript could be Punaluu, Oahu.
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May 25, 1894
May 25, 1894
(retroreveal enhanced)
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281.01
31mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple, Black,
Green, Blue
Estimated: 5
Usage: October 21, 1891 to February 18, 1900
Green is noted in May, 1893, black on March 14, 1895, April 8, 1898 and February 18,
1900, blue in 1896.
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January 2, 1892, black
(Courtesy of Gary Peters)
__, 1892, green
__, 1896, blue
__, 1896, blue
(retroreveal enhanced)
October _, purple
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Puualu, Ka'u District
"to carry on the hips or back" as supporting by the arms
1880-1882
Noted as a probable letter collection box.
No postmark known.
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Volcano House, Ka'u District
1884-1894; 1898-1900
Postmasters: O.T. Shipman (1883-1885), J.H. Maby (1886-1890), Peter Lee (1890-1894; 1898) and F. Waldron (1898-1900). Shipman and Maybe, managers of the Volcano House hotel, were installed as postal agents by J.H. Wilson, who held the contract for mail carriage south of Hilo, including Puna and Ka‘u. Wilson ran a tourist stage between Hilo and Volcano House and was the postmaster at Olaa. He was authorized to establish local postal agencies to handle mail along the Volcano Road and in other places where he carried mail. Peter Lee owned the stage line between Punaluu and Volcano House and managed Volcano House.
From at least the 1860s a hut or other shelter has been at this location on the edge of the Kilauea summit crater. Mark Twain described the shelter in Letters from the Sandwich Islands (1866). George C. Jones oversaw construction of a larger building for tourists in 1877. S.G. Wilder & Co. erected a hotel at the site in 1891 and incorporated the 1877 building as a wing. In 1921, the old 1877 wing was sawed off and moved back from the edge of the crater and across the road. It still stands, used as the Volcano Art Center. In its day as the hotel, a room served as the post office and mail box cubbyholes are used as display boxes in the Art Center. The old “Dutch” door, once used as the post office counter, still opens to the porch. The move was fortunate for the old wing as the 1891 hotel burned completely in 1940 and in 1941 the present hotel was opened on a new site a bit southeast of the old site.
In 1893, the office was described as a "postal agency" with Lee as the "postal agent" as an "accommodation to tourists." During the period 1895-1897, Lee (manager of the hotel) continued to handle mail without official status. Ollie Shipman, manager of the hotel from 1883 to 1885 and John H. Maby, manager from 1885-1891, presumably preceded Lee as "postal agents." Only 89 letters were sent from here between 1890 and 1892, but 916 letters were sent from 1892 to 1894. Stamp sales in 1899 were about $45.
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Volcano House, circa 1885
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Volcano House, circa 1894, image from W.F. Davey’s album
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Volcano House, circa 1893, showing people on the porch of the old 1877 wing
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Volcano Stage at Volcano House, circa 1890
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scorching souvenir postcards in the volcano, Picturesque Hawaii, 1894
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Volcano scorched postcard, February 26, 1908
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Volcano party, Picturesque Hawaii, 1894
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early cover mailed to Honolulu from Volcano House in 1872 by manager W.C. Jones, with the unique “bolt” cancel attributed to Volcano House
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213
oval
VOLCANO in arc above/
HOUSE
The center of this mark is a sketch, said to be based on a Harper’s Weekly image, of ash or lava erupting from the crater.
Color: Purple, Red,
Black
Rarity: 1RRR, 10 strikes recorded
Usage: 1888-1890
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The crater scene depicted in this Harper’s Weekly sketch is said to be the basis for the sketch in postmark 213.
black
November 23, 1890, red
purple
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204 (MH #612)
straightline
VOLCANO HOUSE.
Color: Black, Red
Rarity: 1RR, twelve strikes recorded
Usage: August 3, 1888 to November 23, 1890
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ex-Davey, black
November 23, 1890, red
March 15, 1883, blue
(Courtesy of The Philatelic Foundation)
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218
oval, 42mm x 26mm
John Maby/
Volcano House/
Hawaii
Color: Red, Black
Rarity: 1RRRR, two strikes are recorded
Usage: August 23, 1889 – January 28, 1890
Maby used the crater scene mark (213), the straightline mark (204) and this mark to indicate the originating post office.
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Oval mark 218 on UX2 dated January 28, 1890 at Volcano House and sent to Sydney, New South Wales via Hilo and Honolulu. The PAID ALL oval was used on Australasia mail during the UPU Period.
January 28, 1890
January 28, 1890
(contrast enhanced by Robert Mustacich)
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281.01
30mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple
Rarity: 1RR, eleven strikes recorded
Usage: June 29. 1892 to August _, 1892
The device was returned to Honolulu on October 9, 1894 as the office was being closed.
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Volcano House type 281.01 on cover dated June 29, 1892, the earliest documented use of the mark (LDU) franked with Scott No. 39 and sent to New York City via Hilo and Honolulu.
June 29, 1892, EDU
June 29, 1892, EDU
(retroreveal enhanced)
July 17, 1894
July 17, 1894
(retroreveal enhanced)
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281.02
30mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple
Estimated: 5
Usage: November 18, 1898 to June __, 1900
The date stamp was received in October, 1898, but without the dates.
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May 24, 1899
May 24, 1899
(retroreveal enhanced)
Volcano House 281.02 cancelling a soldier’s letter. On November 8, 1899, a contingent from the U.S. Army garrison in Honolulu was sent to the Big Island to establish a small, short-lived, garrison at Waiakea, on the outskirts of Hilo (See “Soldiers Mail: 1898-1900/Second Period: Garrison Mail” and scroll to Camp Waiakea). The troops in this garrison made a visit to see Kilauea Crater. The Waiakea garrison was closed on November 25.
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Waimanu, Hamakua District
"bird water"
1884-1900
This valley just north of Waipio was served by an overland carrier.
No postmark recorded.
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Waimea, South Kohala District
"reddish water"
1854-1900
Postmasters: Rev. Lorenzo Lyons (1854-1886), Mrs. Lucia G. Lyons (1886) and Miss E. W. Lyons (1886-1900).
Parker Ranch was headquartered nearby and the town was also site of the mission run by Lorenzo Lyons. Numerals and Boston Engraved 5¢ stamps were sent there in 1859 and ten
sheets of Scott No. 31a were sent in July, 1864. Mail volume in 1887 was about 8,400 letters and up to about 10,000 letters annually in 1888-1890. A decline followed to
about 3,000 letters annually from 1890-1894. Stamp sales in 1899 were about $180.
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803
manuscript
Waimea/date
Rarity: 1RRRR, 2 strikes are recorded
Noted on Scott No. 31
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December 3, __, ex-Twigg-Smith
(Courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries)
December 3, __
(retroreveal enhanced)
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807
manuscript
Waimea/H/date
Rarity: 1RRRR, five strikes are recorded, including two covers
Usage: October 2, 1867 to November 21, 1867
Noted on Scott No. 31
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November 21, 1867
November 21, 1867
(retroreveal enhanced)
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817
manuscript
Waimea/H/date on the cover but off the stamp
Rarity: 1RRRR, four strikes recorded
Usage: April 14, 1870 to May 1, 1872
Noted on Scott Nos. 31 and 35
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May 1, 1872
Detail of Waimea 817, May 1, 1872
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813
manuscript
Waimea/date on the cover but off the stamp
Rarity: 1RRR, seven strikes recorded
Usage: July 17, 1872 to October 24, 1878
Noted on Scott Nos. 31 and 35
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February 21, 1877
Detail of Waimea 813, February 21, 1877
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281.01
29mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple, Black,
Blue
Estimated: 7
Usage: December __, 1883 to June 13, 1900
This rubber stamp was in use for an extraordinarily long time. Late strikes show considerable wear. I noted black from March 9, 1888 to June 15, 1888, blue in early 1899 and the other
strikes are purple.
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November 7, 1884, purple
November 7, 1884
(retroreveal enhanced)
July 6, 1898, black
(Courtesy of Jim Shaffer)
May 5, 1899, worn device, blue
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Waiohinu
"shiny water"
1865-1900
Postmasters: C. N. Spencer (1865-1866), W. T. Martin (1866), Nicholas George (1867), L. E. Swain (1867), W. Thomas Martin (1868-1869), N. C. Haley (1869-1871), H. Maincoke (1871-1874) and C. Meinecke (1874-1900). The former name of
this post office was Ka'u and the name was changed in 1865, so a post office was located at Waiohinu from 1856 under one name or the other. During parts of 1866, the Hilo Postmaster had administrative authority over Waiohinu. Supplies of Scott No. 31a
were sent in 1865 and Scott No. 32 was sent in 1866. The 2¢ stamps were used at the rate of about 40 sheets per year. Between 1887 and 1894, Waiohinu averaged about 2,700 letters per year. Stamp sales in 1899 were about $110. Fire destroyed the post office in 1886. Meinecke operated a general merchandise store but whether the entire store burned or only the post office is unclear. The post office was restored quickly.
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802
manuscript
Waiohinu/P.O.
Rarity: 1RRRR, three strikes are recorded
Noted on Scott No. 31
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(Courtesy of Norb Wild)
(Courtesy of Norb Wild)
(retroreveal enhanced)
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214
oval
Color: Blue
Rarity: 1RRRR, five strikes are recorded.
Usage: ________, 1877 to April 24, 1878
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April 24, 1878
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238.02
30mm single lined outer circle
Color: Black
Rarity: 1RR, nineteen strikes are recorded
Usage: December 24, 1879 to August 23, 1883
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September 1, 1880
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282.013
33mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple
Scarcity: 2
Usage: May __, 1883 to July __, 1886
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July __, 1886
July __, 1886
(retroreveal enhanced)
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259.13
33mm double lined circle
Color: Purple
Estimated: 7
Usage: April 6, 1887 to June __, 1900
There may be a gap in usage from July, 1891 to December, 1892.
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August 18, 1892
August 18, 1892
(retroreveal enhanced)
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Waipio, Hamakua District
"curving water"
1869-1871; 1880-1886; 1893-1900
Postmasters: Joseph R. Mills (postal agent, 1869-1871), Halemanu (1871-1877), Joseph R. Mills (1877), W. H. Holmes (1880-1886), Mrs. Owanui (1893-1894) and Mrs. Ana Thomas
(1894-1900). Early “postmasters” were agents appointed by the Hilo postmaster. Twice weekly mail deliveries were made into the valley from Paauhau in January, 1880 before a post office was opened in a dry goods store owned by Holmes later that year. When the office closed in 1886, a mail route from Kukuihaele was organized to Waimanu Valley via Waipo thrice monthly with J. W. Kapulolu as mail carrier. Mrs. Owanui was a "postal agent" there at least by 1893 and was recognized as postmaster in 1894.
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Waipio Valley, circa 1910, undated post card
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Tending rice crops in Waipio Valley, c. 1900
(Courtesy Hawaii State Archives)
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802
manuscript
Waipio/P O
Rarity: 1RR, fifteen strikes are recorded
Usage: September 14, 1869 to January 15, 1870
Noted on Scott No. 31
The usage period represents the proven dates; however, four or more hands wrote the manuscripts, suggesting a longer period of use.
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August 21, 1869, ex-Twigg Smith
(Courtesy of Robert A. Siegel Auction Galleries)
January 15, 1870
(Courtesy of Norbert Wild)
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804
manuscript
Waipio date/P O
Rarity: 1RRRR, one strike recorded
Usage: October 2, 1869
Noted on Scott No. 31 cover
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October 2, 1869, ex-Twigg-Smith
(Courtesy of R.A. Siegel Auction Galleries)
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803
manuscript
Waipio/date
Rarity: 1RRRR, one strike recorded
Usage: c. 1869-1870
Noted on Scott No. 31
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ex-Davey
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801
manuscript
Waipio
Rarity: 1RRRR, three strikes recorded
Usage: circa 1885-1886
Noted on Scott No. 43
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282.016
32 mm double lined outer circle and single lined inner circle
Color: Purple
Rarity: 1RRRR, two strikes were reported to Burns but I have a record of just one.
Usage: June __, 1887 to September 9, 1887
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September 8, 1887
September 8, 1887
(retroreveal enhanced)
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255.01
29mm double lined circle
Color: Purple
Rarity: 1RR, fourteen strikes are recorded
Usage: January 28, 1897 to November 24, 1899
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August 11, 1899
August 11, 1899
(retroreveal enhanced)
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