The Post Offices of Rhode Island
1857-61 Arcadia, RI CDS - DPO
(Scroll Down for Background Information and history)

The Arcadia Post Office, (Richmond Township, Washington County)  was established on March 11, 1850 under Postmaster James T. Harris. The post office was disestablished on November 30, 1928 and mail is currently handled by the Hope Valley Post Office. 

The sender's name was unreadable. It is addressed to Jasper L. Simmons in Providence, RI. The stamp is the dull-red Washington 3-cent issue of 1857-61, (Scott #26 - Type II). Type II stamps differ from Type I in that the outer frame line is removed at top and bottom of stamp and the vertical frame lines were recut so as to be continuous from top to bottom of the plate. Type IIa stamps, (Scott 26a) also have the top and bottom frame lines removed, however on 26a the vertical frame lines extend to the top and bottom of each individual stamp only. Type I stamps (Scott #10 and #11) have frame lines on all four sides. Scott #10 was issued in 1851 and Scott #11 was issued from 1853-55.

SEE: Cover to Thomas R. Hazard with 1851 Type I (Scott #10) 
SEE: Cover to B. R. Aubrey & Son with 1855 Type I (Scott #11) 

Postmaster James T. Harris was born in Richmond Township in 1807. His wife Sophia A. Harris was born in 1812. There was no documentation of any children in the census records.