PORT ANGELES — Happy birthday, Port Angeles. You’re 150 years old today.
On June 19, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed an executive order establishing a military and naval reservation at the former Spanish location of Puerto de Nuestra Señora de Los Angeles.
It was shortened to Port Angeles when the executive order provided for a post office, among other things.
Today, special hand-canceled envelopes will be on sale for $1 each at the Museum at the Carnegie at 207 S. Lincoln St. — which will be an official post office from noon to 2 p.m.
After Port Angeles Postmaster Lisa Jones opens the office in the former Carnegie Library at noon, a postal employee will hand-cancel pre-printed envelopes with either a special sesquicentennial stamp or a graphic noting Lincoln’s action, said Mayor Cherie Kidd.
Four members of the Peninsula Long Rifle Association dressed as frontiersmen will provide a musket salute as a U.S. flag with 50 stars is lowered and an 1862 one with 35 stars is raised, Kidd said.
Commander Norm Goodin of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1024 and Girl Scouts will raise and lower the flag.
Ruby and Friends will sing.
Inside the Carnegie, Chester Masters with the Strait Stamp Society will display Port Angeles philatelic covers and historic stamps, Kidd said.
After today, the special envelopes will be available at the Port Angeles post office at 424 E. First St. for the next 30 days and will cost $2 each, Kidd said.
The Port Angeles sesquicentennial celebration will culminate during Heritage Days on Sept. 14-16.