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skprbob · 10-23-2006, 09:40 PM

To continue - good memory for the name, hockeypuck! The Uncle Sam II was owned by Allen Perley and ran the mail service from 1962 through 1968. The boat was a converted PT boat brought from Portsmouth (also wood, BTW). The boat proved outrageously expensive to run, and Perley got out of the business after the 1968 season. The contract went to the Sophie C in 1969 and she has held it since. The 1916 act of Congress is still in force and Sophie is the only floating post office on inland waters in the US. Mail is sorted and cancelled on board and all postal services except money orders are offered.

The Wolfeboro mail boat is also operating, but Sophie is the only one that's an actual post office.

I recommend the book "Mail Service on the Lake" by Dr. Bruce Heald for a good history.

10-23-2006, 09:40 PM	#5
skprbob Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 19 Mile Bay Posts: 147 Thanks: 0 Thanked 90 Times in 29 Posts	More Mail Boat To continue - good memory for the name, hockeypuck! The Uncle Sam II was owned by Allen Perley and ran the mail service from 1962 through 1968. The boat was a converted PT boat brought from Portsmouth (also wood, BTW). The boat proved outrageously expensive to run, and Perley got out of the business after the 1968 season. The contract went to the Sophie C in 1969 and she has held it since. The 1916 act of Congress is still in force and Sophie is the only floating post office on inland waters in the US. Mail is sorted and cancelled on board and all postal services except money orders are offered. The Wolfeboro mail boat is also operating, but Sophie is the only one that's an actual post office. I recommend the book "Mail Service on the Lake" by Dr. Bruce Heald for a good history.