Steamboat Rpo

Could this be what the notation says? Steamboat RPO

Lake Winnipesaukee R.P.O.
Yes a steamboat was the carrier.
The Railway Mail Service administered inland waterway mail in this era like this piece.
Quite common, but fun.

Thanks for the quick reply .. I wasn't sure about that,, Came with a bunch of other RPOs I purchased years ago.. Too bad it didn't have any steamboat markings..

It is a steamboat marking. It just doesn't say so directly.

I see, I get it now... Lake says it all...

Here is a stronger impression of the Lake Winnepisaukee cancel:


Having "Lake" in the name is not foolproof for rail vs steam. Oft-times you have to know the local geography or have the RPO catalogs. Here is an Inlet and Old Forge RPO, a steamboat route in New York. (As an aside this card is sent on June 20, 1928, during the 2 cent rate for private cards of April 15, 1925 to June 30, 1928, when postal cards remained at 1 cent. The card uses Scott 645 issued on May 26, 1928, leaving only 36 days of proper use on a private card at this rate - a quite scarce and underrated combination.)

Thanks again, I have to look closer now at the ones I have. I have RPOs that I pulled from postcard lots through the years and still have to go through them. I now know more about this subject and will not assume any longer. When in doubt ask the forum..

Not all boats that went Winnipesaukeen lakes where steamers. There were many diesel and other kinds of power boats. However, in the case of Lake Winnipesaukee it actually was an old antique side wheeler steamboat that was more of a tourist ride attraction than a regular working steamboat like it had been back in the late 1800s. So yes it was definitely carried on a side wheel steam boat, but it is not comparable to covers that were carried on the old side wheel and rear paddle wheel steam boats in the 1800s that were the modern and often sole transportation methods of those days on larger lakes and rivers. As such a steamboat marking would not be the find on a card or cover from the 1920s as it would be on a cover from the mid 1800s.

Point taken. But more generally, I think the distinction here is "carried by rail vs water", rather than the actual energy source behind the train or boat.