Historic 1877 Cleveland Postmark Stamp - John De Witt, Ohio #3480773 (License: Personal Use)

This black-ink postmark features a circular date stamp reading “JOHN DE WITT, MAY 17 1877, Cleveland, O.” surrounded by distinctive wavy-line cancellation bars-a common U.S. postal practice in the late 19th century to prevent stamp reuse. The crisp lettering and layout reflect the typography and mechanical printing standards of the era, offering insight into historical mail processing. Such markings are highly valued by philatelists and local historians studying 19th-century communication networks.

Used on archival websites, digital museum exhibits, or philatelic blogs to illustrate 19th-century U.S. postal practices; targets users researching genealogy, postal history, or Cleveland’s social history.