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{{Short description|Mail service operating within a limited geographical area}}

[[Image:DBSR local post stamp.JPG|right|thumb|An 1865 local stamp of the ''Danube and Black Sea Railway Kustendje Harbour Company Limited''.]]

{{improve references|date=April 2023}}

[[File:Shchigry Zemstvo Stamp.jpg|right|thumb|An 1882 Zemstvo stamp.]]

[[File:Liannos-Local-Ottoman-PostDBSR local post stamp.JPG|right|thumb|LocalAn stamps1865 local stamp of the 1865 ''LiannosDanube etand Cie''Black postSea inRailway Constantinople.Kustendje Harbour Company Limited'']]

[[ImageFile:HamburgShchigry 1863Zemstvo local stamp one SchStamp.jpg|right|thumb|PrivateAn local1882 postage[[Zemstvo]] stamp of Hamburg, issued 1863.]]

[[File:Liannos-Local-Ottoman-Post.JPG|thumb|Local stamps of the 1865 ''Liannos et Cie'' post in [[Constantinople]]]]

[[File:Rattlesnake Island local post cover 31 December 1966.jpg|thumbnail|right|A Rattlesnake Island local post [[Cover (philately)|cover]] of 31 December 1966.]]

[[File:StampThule1935Michel3Hamburg 1863 local stamp one Sch.jpg|right|thumb|Aupright|Private local postpostage stamp of [[ThuleHamburg]], Greenland.issued 1863]]

[[File:Stamp of Finland - 1955 - Colnect 577813 - Helsinki Harbour.jpeg|thumb|upright|Local postage stamp of [[Helsinki]], issued 1955]]

A '''local post''' is a [[mail]] service that operates only within a limited geographical area, typically a [[city]] or a single transportation route. Historically, some local posts have been operated by governments, while others, known as '''private local posts''' have been for-profit companies. Today, many stamp collectors operate '''hobbyists' local posts''', issuing their own postal "stamps" for other collectors but rarely carrying any mail.

[[File:Rattlesnake Island local post cover 31 December 1966.jpg|thumbnail|rightupright|A [[Rattlesnake Island (Lake Erie)|Rattlesnake Island]] local post [[Covercover (philately)|cover]] of 31 December 1966.]]

[[File:StampThule1935Michel3.jpg|thumb|upright|A local post stamp of [[Thule]], Greenland]]

A '''local post''' is a [[mail]] service that operates only within a limited geographical area, typically a [[city]] or a single transportation route. Historically, some local posts have been operated by governments, while others, known as '''private local posts''' have been for-profit companies. Today, many [[stamp collectors]] operate '''hobbyists' local posts''', issuing their own postal "stamps known as "locals" or "[[Cinderella stamp|cinderellas]]" for other collectors but rarely carrying any mail.

== Official local posts ==

== Official local posts ==

Government local posts go back to at least 1680, when the [[Penny Post]] was established in [[London]] to handle intra-city mail delivery at a uniform rate of one penny.

From 1840 onwards, when [[postage stamp]]s were first introduced, special stamps were often issued; for instance the [[cantons of Switzerland|canton]]s of [[Switzerland]] issued stamps for use within a canton, and inscribed them "Poste-Local" or "Orts-Post". The [[Russia]]n province of [[Cēsis|Wenden]] issued stamps for a local post from 1862 to 1901, while [[Nicaragua]] issued stamps for [[Zelaya (Nicaragua)Department|Zelaya]] only, due to its use of a different currency.

In rural Russia [[Zemstvo Post]] handled local mail independently of the central government; some of these lasted until the 1917 revolution.

== Private local posts ==

Many countries have had private local posts at one time or another. Usually these operated with the acquiescence of the government, and at other time in competition. Types of local posts included intra-city systems, transcontinental delivery (such as the [[Pony Express]]), and riverboat routes. Many of these existed for only short periods, and little is known of their operations. Some of their stamps are among the great rarities of philately.

In 1865 the local post distribution company ''Liannos et Cie'' was established in Constantinople to distribute mail arriving in the city which was not addressed in Arabic as the staff of the Ottoman Postal Service were unable to read the Latin alphabet. The stamps were printed by [[Perkins Bacon]] from plates that are now held in the museum of the [[Royal Philatelic Society London]].<ref name=LP1434>"Museum & Archives News: Liannos City Post", ''[[The London Philatelist]]'', Vol. 125, No. 1433, March 2016, p. 110.</ref> In 1866 a second service was set up on behalf of the Egyptian post office operating in the city to solve the same problem. Both services were short lived.<ref>[httphttps://wwwweb.webcitationarchive.org/6HGohkpQI?url=web/20130630100310/http://www.maidenheadphilatelic.co.uk/index_files/levant.htm The Local Mail Stamps of the British Levant] by Tony Stanford, Maidenhead & District Philatelic Society, 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2012.</ref>

In 1895, W. Frese & Co. of San Francisco, acting as an agent of the Oceanic Phosphate Company, issued a series of postage stamps for mail carried between California at the company's guano mining operations on [[Clipperton Island]], which ended in 1898.<ref name="CIstamps">{{cite magazine |title=The Stamps of Clipperton Island |last=Baldus |first=Wolfgang |author-link=Wolfgang Baldus |journal=The Postal Gazette |volume=IV |issue=5 |date=October 2009 |page=42 |url=http://www.thepostalgazette.com/issues/26/Clipperton_Stamps.pdf |access-date=2023-04-10 |archive-date=2019-06-06 |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20190606083740/http://www.thepostalgazette.com/issues/26/Clipperton_Stamps.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2012, Penny Farthing Post in [[Bude]], Cornwall, England, operated a mail service for Bude, Stratton, and Poughill delivering post on a [[penny farthing]] bicycle for 25 pence. Graham Eccles printed his own stamps and set up the service in response to the [[Royal Mail]] raising postage stamp prices to 60 pence.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-04-04 |title=Post delivered by penny-farthing in Bude |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-17607089 |access-date=2023-06-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cunningham |first=Emily |date=2012-04-22 |title=Look out, Royal Mail – it's Penny Farthing Post! |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/shortcuts/2012/apr/22/royal-mail-penny-farthing-post |access-date=2023-06-27 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Closed June 2012, due to excessive volumes of post.

In 1865 the local post distribution company ''Liannos et Cie'' was established in Constantinople to distribute mail arriving in the city which was not addressed in Arabic as the staff of the Ottoman Postal Service were unable to read the Latin alphabet. The stamps were printed by [[Perkins Bacon]] from plates that are now held in the museum of the [[Royal Philatelic Society London]].<ref name=LP1434>"Museum & Archives News: Liannos City Post", ''[[The London Philatelist]]'', Vol. 125, No. 1433, March 2016, p. 110.</ref> In 1866 a second service was set up on behalf of the Egyptian post office operating in the city to solve the same problem. Both services were short lived.<ref>[http://www.webcitation.org/6HGohkpQI?url=http://www.maidenheadphilatelic.co.uk/index_files/levant.htm The Local Mail Stamps of the British Levant] by Tony Stanford, Maidenhead & District Philatelic Society, 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2012.</ref>

In 2013, ''Welly Post'' was established as a private carrier of local mail by EJ Teare Newsagents in [[Wellington, Somerset]], United KingdomEngland. Local delivery was limited to the village of Wellington and {{convert|2 1/2.5|mi|km}} miles outside the village. The service was established after customers complained about the high price of postage.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Somerset-newsagent-sets-Welly-Post-customers/story-20348613-detail/story.html |title=Somerset newsagent sets up 'Welly Post' after customers complain about the Royal Mail - Western Morning News |publisher=westernmorningnews.co.uk |author=Western Morning News |date=Dec 20, 2013 |accessdate=2014-10-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020140608/http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Somerset-newsagent-sets-Welly-Post-customers/story-20348613-detail/story.html |archive-date=2014-10-20 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Private local posts of the United States==

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===Hawai'i Post===

From the late 1990s to 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hawaii-post.com/services.html|title=Services provided by HAWAI'I POST |publisher=Hawaii-post.com |year=2015 |accessdate=2019-04-02}}</ref> the Honolulu-based messenger service Hawai'i Post printed stamps for use with its local delivery service for Waikiki.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hawai'i Post - Privately Owned Local Service and Stamps |last=Jones |first=Bryan A. |website=The Pacific Islands Study Circle |url=https://www.pisc.org.uk/hawaii-post.html |access-date=2023-04-10}}</ref>

An example of a private modern day local post currently in operation is Hawai'i Post.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hawaii-post.com/ |title=Hawai'i Post |publisher=Hawaii-post.com |date= |accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

===Independent Postal System of America===

In 1968, Thomas M. Murray (1927–2003) founded the Independent Postal System of America (IPSA)<ref name="wichitastampclub1">{{cite web|url=http://www.wichitastampclub.org/IPSA.html |title=Independent Postal System of America |publisher=Wichitastampclub.org |date= |accessdate=2008-10-26 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060517115720/http://www.wichitastampclub.org/IPSA.html |archivedate=May 17, 2006 }}</ref> as a nationwide commercial carrier of Third and Fourth Class Mail,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838569,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213144749/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,838569,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 13, 2009 |title=A New Postman Cometh - TIME |publisher=[[Time.com (magazine)|author=Friday, Aug. 16, 1968Time]] |date=Aug 16, 1968 |accessdateaccess-date=2008-10-26}}</ref> in direct competition with the United States Post Office (USPO), now the United States Postal Service (USPS).<ref name="wichitastampclub1"/><ref>{{cite web|url=httphttps://alphabetilately.comorg/L.html |title=Alphabetilately: L is for Local stamp |publisher=Alphabetilately.comorg |date= |accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://jcgi.pathfinder.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,907081,00.html |title=The Private Postmen - TIME |publisher=Jcgi.pathfinder.com |author=Monday, Apr. 02, 1973 |date=Apr 2, 1973 |accessdate=2008-10-26 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> But in 1971, when the company entered the First Class delivery business, they endured a number of lawsuits brought against them, which finally led to the company's collapse in the mid-1970s.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.altlaw.org/v1/cases/431768 |title=CIO v. Independent Postal System of America |publisher=AltLaw |date= |accessdate=2009-02-01}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://wyom.state.wy.us/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=133203 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111011235/http://wyom.state.wy.us/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=133203 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-11-11 |title=WYOM Found Document:National Ass'n of Letter Carriers, AFL-CIO v. Independent Postal System of America, Inc |publisher=Wyom.state.wy.us |date= |accessdate=2009-02-01 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://casetext.com/case/american-post-wkrs-u-detroit-v-independent-post-ser |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170331205904/https://casetext.com/case/american-post-wkrs-u-detroit-v-independent-post-ser |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 31, 2017 |title=American Postal Workers Union, Detroit Local v. Independent Postal System of America, Inc. |publisher=AltLaw |date= |accessdate=2017-03-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://vlex.com/vid/36771812 |title=National Association of Letter Carriers, Afl-Cio, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Independent Postal System of America, Incorporated, and Thomas M... |publisher=vLex |date= |accessdate=2009-02-01}}</ref> The company issued a number of stamps during the years of its operation, including commemoratives for [[Lyndon B. Johnson]], [[Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Sanford L. Byrd Collection - Martin Luther King Part V |url=http://esperstamps.org/sanford6.htm |publisher=Ebony Society of Philatelic Events and Reflections |accessdate=2009-01-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908063629/http://esperstamps.org/sanford6.htm |archivedate=2008-09-08 }}</ref> and [[Charles Lindbergh]] before the USPS did.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Brief History of IPSA (Independent Postal System of America) |url=http://www.dmacweb.com/IPSA/HistoryIPSA.pdf |author=Hanfelder, Art |accessdate=2017-03-09 |archive-date=2017-03-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312075558/http://www.dmacweb.com/IPSA/HistoryIPSA.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Rattlesnake Island===

[[Rattlesnake Island (Lake Erie)|Rattlesnake Island]] is an {{convert|85|acre|km2|sing=on}} island located on [[Lake Erie]] near Put-In-Bay, {{convert|11|mi|km}} northeast of [[Port Clinton, Ohio]], and hashad the only USPS-sanctioned local post operating in the United States. For many years, service was provided by way of a [[Ford Trimotor]] which shuttled mail between the island and the mainland. From 1966 to 1989, USPS mail was routed by way of Port Clinton, Ohio. Today, outgoing It was restarted in 2005 and ran till 2010 by the founder Dr. James Frackelton until passed away 11-30-2012. Outgoing mail from the island entersentered the USPS mail stream by way of [[Sandusky, Ohio]]. LocalThe PostRILP servicelay begandormant inuntil 1966life andlong continuedPort throughClinton 1989resident, whenDave theGill islandrelaunched wasthe soldlocal andpost with the first new ownersissue discontinuedon 11-10-2022 of Commercial Vessels servicing the serviceLake Erie Islands. ItThe wasnext restartedissue in"Battle 2005of Lake Erie" is scheduled for 9-10-2023, the 210 year anniversary of the battle. Griffing Flying Services has the RILP contract and continuesis toback in Port Clinton, Ohio at the currentsame day___location as the 1966-1989 local post mail was serviced by. <ref>{{cite web| title=RI Local Post| publisher=Rattlesnake Island Club |url=http://www.rattlesnakeislandclub.com/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=230298&ssid=80709&vnf=1 |accessdate=2019-08-16}}</ref>

== Hobbyists' local posts ==

Today's Locallocal Postersposters issue their local post "stamps", and issue a variety of commemorative "stamps" covering a wide range of events or personal interests, of subjects that are not normally issued by their own countries' postal services.

In some cases these modern -day local posts have issued stamp subjects before their own country issued the same subject. The Free State Local Post issued an [[Audie Murphy]] stamp long before the U.S.US Postal Service issued one of the same subject. The Ascension AAF Local Post,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://spacecovers.com/misc/asc_lp_info.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714043435/http://spacecovers.com/misc/asc_lp_info.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-date=July 14, 2012 |title=ASCENSION AAF Local Post Information Sheet - Joe Frasketi's Space Covers |publisher=Spacecovers.com |date= |accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref> located on the island of Ascension in the South Atlantic Ocean, in 1972 commemorated the anniversary of the first aircraft to land at Ascension Island. This same subject was commemorated by the Ascension Island postal system in 1982.

located on the island of Ascension in the South Atlantic Ocean, in 1972 commemorated the anniversary of the first aircraft to land at Ascension Island. This same subject was commemorated by the Ascension Island postal system in 1982.

This sort of local post is effectively a "home-brewed" postal system, and the typical hobbyist carries little, if any, mail (though some do carry mail over a short distance for themselves or a few people).

The Local Post Collectors' Society established in 1972, coordinates communication among local posters. The LPCS issues a regular Bulletinbulletin ''The Poster'' to its members around the world, relating stories of local posts, showing new issues and other related items.<ref>{{cite web |date= |title=Local Post Collectors Society |url=httphttps://www.localcollectorspostlocalpostcollectors.org/ |titleaccessdate=2023-06-12 |website=Local Post Collectors Society |publisher=localcollectorspostlocalpostcollectors.org|date= |accessdate=2008-10-26}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist|2Reflist}}

==Further reading==

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*[[Leon Norman Williams|L.N. & M. Williams]]. ''Priced Catalogue of Local Postage Stamps'' with Erik F. Hurt, 1942. Supplement 1948.

== External links ==

{{commonsCommons category|Local stampspost}}

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110124090027/http://www.localcollectorspostlocalpostcollectors.org/index.html Local Post Collectors Society]

* [http://www.stampshows.com/local-post.html Local Posts of the World]

* [httphttps://alphabetilately.comorg/L.html L is for Local]

* [httphttps://www.sossi.org/local/post.htm Scout Local Posts]

[[Category:Postal systemservices]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Local Post}}

[[Category:Postal system]]

[[Category:Philatelic terminology]]

[[Category:Localism (politics)]]