The Port Orford post office was established in 1855 and is recognized as one of the earliest Oregon post offices as recorded by the Oregon Historical Quarterly.

L to R: View of Nieman Insurance, Port Orford Post Office, Cleaners and Tailors, Seaside Cafe and the Masterson House on Highway 101 c1950.
Post Office - Niemans Insurance - Seaside Cafe - Hwy 101 - c1955
Another view with Nieman’s Insurance in the Post Office building c1955.
"Earliest Oregon Postoffices as Recorded at Washington" Excerpt from Oregon Historical Quarterly
“Earliest Oregon Postoffices as Recorded at Washington”
Excerpt from Oregon Historical Quarterly Vol. 41, No. 1 (Mar., 1940) 

Niemans Insurance - Post Office - Hwy 101 - c1960-0704
Niemans Insurance and the first Port Orford Post Office on Hwy 101 – circa July 4 1960

This fascinating early Port Orford postmark was in use shortly after the Post Office was established.

Early Port Orford Postmark, circa 1857
Early Port Orford Postmark, circa 1857 [via Rumsey Auctions which also shows a postmark from 1854, one year before the Post Office was officially established.]

In 1878 there were three post offices in the county, at Port Orford, Ellensburg (now Gold Beach), and Chetco. In 1898 we have thirteen, as follows: Langlois, Hare, Eckley, Denmark, Port Orford, Ophir, Wedderburn, Gold Beach, Illahe, Irma, Ferry, Harbor, and Chetco. [1878-1898 Two Decades in Curry, by J. H. Upton]

Port Orford Post Office in the present day. Photo by Cosmos Mariner.
Our hometown Port Orford Post Office in the present day. Photo by Cosmos Mariner.
Port Orford Post Office on 7th and Jackson in 1962.

We are currently researching when the Post Office first moved from its initial location on HWY 101 to it’s present day location on 7th and Jackson. If you know, we’d love to hear from you!