More than 110 U.S. Postal Service offices -– and 29 here in Idaho -- are offering special postmarks for Monday's total solar eclipse.
The post offices are in or near the path of the full eclipse, which cuts across the United States, from Oregon to South Carolina.
USPS spokesman Mark Saunders says the postmarks will be unique in some locations, while most will use one designed by the national office. He says some post offices are using the special postmark only on Monday, but others are also using it before and after the eclipse.
The new postmark will be available at the 29 Post Offices in Idaho on Monday, Aug. 21, the date of the celestial event.
The commemorative postmarks will be applied to envelopes, cards or any other items bearing First-Class postage stamps, including the Postal Service’s Total Eclipse Forever Stamp issued last month. The stamps are the first of their kind, with the depiction of the eclipse revealing a photo of the moon when the heat from your finger touches the stamp.
The Idaho Post Offices issuing special postmarks celebrating are those in Arco, Ashton, Cambridge, Cascade, Donnelly, Driggs, Dubois, Hamer, Howe, Idaho City, Idaho Falls, Idaho Falls - Eagle Rock Station, Ketchum, MacKay, Menan, Midvale, Moore, Payette, Rexburg, Rigby, Ririe, Roberts, Shelley, Stanley, Sun Valley, Terreton, Tetonia, Victor and Weiser.
The special [ostmarks all share the same design with the exception of the City and ZIP Code, and will be available at the 29 Post Offices on Aug. 21, or at a temporary Post Office at a local total eclipse event.
Check with your local Post Office for information on where the special postmark will be available on Aug. 21.
(Associated Press contributed to this report)
