Haines, Alaska, postmark celebrates annual Alaska Bald Eagle Festival

By Michael Baadke

Situated in the northern part of Alaska’s panhandle, surrounded by the mountains of the Inside Passage, and between the Chilkoot and Chilkat inlets, is the town of Haines.

Each year in early November, the town hosts the Alaska Bald Eagle Festival, offering visitors an opportunity to view large numbers of these majestic birds in their natural habitat at the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.

A highlight of this year’s festival, taking place Nov. 9-15, is a Tlingit ceremonial presentation followed by the release of at least two rehabilitated eagles at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

To commemorate this year’s 21st annual festival, Haines is offering a pictorial postmark that features an eagle portrait.

Additional information about this year’s festival can be found at the American Bald Eagle Foundation, which is headquartered in Haines. Look for the Bald Eagle Festival link on the website homepage.

To obtain this postmark, send your request to:

HAINES Station, Postmaster, Box 9998, Haines, AK 99827-9998, Nov. 9-15.

The following postmarks are also available:

ANCHORAGE CENTENNIAL Station, Postmaster, 3720 Barrow St., Anchorage, AK 99599-9602, Oct. 30. (Text-only postmark with circular date stamp at left).

WALPEX HALLOWEEN Station, Postmaster, 1661 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington, MA 02421-9998, Oct. 31-Nov. 1. (Jack-o’-lantern, two bats).

ELVIS PRESLEY FDR Station, Postmaster, 380 W. 33rd St., Room 4032, New York, NY 10199-9998, Nov. 5. (“Music Icons,” Elvis Presley signature).

SEASON FOR SHARING Station, Postmaster, 7001 S. Central Ave., Room 307, Los Angeles, CA 90052-4200, Nov. 6. (“Food Bank,” with arms raised holding bowl, “Fighting Hunger Giving Hope,” “Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.”)

SOLDIERS MEMORIAL Station, Postmaster/Retail, 1720 Market, Room 2033, St. Louis, MO 63155-9998, Nov. 7. (Four servicemen, two with rifles, two holding flags, including United States flag, “Honoring those who served.”)

LEESPORT PA POST OFFICE Station, Postmaster, Box 9998, Leesport, PA 19533-9998, Nov. 7. (“Ulysses S. Grant & Robert E. Lee, April 9, 1865,” generals shaking hands.)

PITTPEX Station, Retail Specialist, 1001 California Ave., Room 2036, Pittsburgh, PA, 15290-9681, Nov. 7-8. (Three fleurs-de-lis, “200th Anniversary of the Battle of New Orleans.”)

TENTH ANNIVERSARY VETERANS MEMORIAL PATHWAY Station, Postmaster, 110 NE Commercial Circle, Keystone Heights, FL 32656-9998, Nov. 11. (Dog tag with chain, boots, “10 years.”)

The following postmarks received a 30-day extension:

EUREKA Station, Postmaster, Box 7838, San Francisco, CA 94120-7838, Oct. 10. (Crossed anchors of U.S. Coast Guard insignia with shield, “United States Coast Guard 1790,” “USCG Sector, Humboldt Bay.”)

BOGGY BAYOU MULLET FESTIVAL Station, Postmaster, 90 Palm Blvd. N., Niceville, FL 32578-1213, Oct. 17. (Mullet fish rising out of water, grassy banks, palm trees.)

OMAHA CLASSIC FILM Station, Postmaster, 1124 Pacific St., Omaha, NE 68108-9998, Oct. 23. (“Omaha classic film event,” Omaha skyline, large “OMAHA.”)

Collecting pictorial postmarks is fun. To obtain them, please read our instructions. Share information by writing to Postmark Pursuit, Box 4129, Sidney, OH 45365.