A book by Ted Gruber
Postal History of Cowlitz County, Washington is an extensive history of the 45 post offices that have operated in what is now Cowlitz County, Washington. The award-winning book features over 80 historic photographs of the post offices and the areas they served, images of more than 60 envelopes or post cards bearing postmarks from 42 of the 45 post offices, and a postmark catalog documenting and illustrating the 300+ postmarks known from Cowlitz County. The book was written not just for a postal history audience, but for anybody interested in the history of Cowlitz County and southwestern Washington.
The table of contents is available here. The 294-page book is priced at $35 and is available as a printed work only. You can purchase the book here.
The Cowlitz County Historical Museum will participate in Washington State Museum Day from 10:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday, August 8. To commemorate this, the Kelso post office will have a one-day temporary postal station at the museum from 12:30pm to 3:30pm offering a special pictorial postmark. Local postal ephemera will also be on display. Postal History of Cowlitz County, Washington will be available for purchase at the museum gift shop and the author will be glad to sign copies from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
The official book release was part of the First Thursday Speaker Series at the Cowlitz County Historical Museum on October 3, 2024. The author gave a presentation on Cowlitz County postal history, available on the museum's YouTube channel.
Follow @CowlitzBook on Bluesky for announcements, updates, additional pictures, and more.
Copyright © 2026 Ted Gruber · All Rights Reserved
Earliest known Cowlitz County postmark, applied in manuscript by pioneer postmaster Alexander Abernethy.
Only known example of the emergency manuscript postmark used after a fire destroyed much of the Stella waterfront, including the store that housed the post office, on July 27, 1907. This example dates from July 30.
The earliest known postmark from Longview, one week after the post office began operating on January 16, 1923.
Addressed to Astoria, Oregon, this cover was missent to Salt Lake City before ultimately reaching its destination.
Short paid post card to Switzerland.
Sent to the territorial Surveyor General by Peter Crawford, founder of Kelso.
Sent to Judge P. A. Marquam, the namesake of Portland's Marquam Bridge.
An example of a type 3 Doane postmark.
Manuscript postmark from the first post office established in what is now Cowlitz County.
An example of the first postmark type known from Saint Helen.
The only known example from this remote five-year post office.
This postmark was used during both the territorial and statehood periods, but the TER was removed after Washington became a state November 11, 1889.
