This exhibit is small representative sample of items in the archives of the Postal History Foundation in Tucson. Each page contains, in philatelic terms, a “cover” - either an envelope or postcard with one or more adhesive postage stamps, or an envelope or postal card with a pre-stamped frank (called postal stationery in philately). Each cover is postmarked at a post office in Arizona; most of these images are from Arizona Territory before statehood in 1912.
Most pages include descriptive text about the community and many have illustrative items showing activities in the region of the community. The pages have appeared in philatelic exhibitions inside and outside of Arizona since they were created. The permanent files at the Postal History Foundation have many thousands of such covers representing the majority of the post offices that exist or have existed in Arizona before and after statehood until today.
The postal history of the mails in Arizona has been the subject of a great deal of philatelic research. One of the publications available from the Postal History Foundation or its predecessor organization is an illustrated book that shows many of the cancellations from most of the post offices in the territory and state.
