The Stamps of Kaulbach Island


  Much of the area surrounding Kaulbach Island and Mahone Bay was settled originally by Hessian soldiers who were pensioned off following the American War of Independence, and many of the island's inhabitants are their descendents. The island's owners, an American couple, were authorized to issue local stamps to prepay the cost of carriage service that operated between Kaulbach Island and Chester, Nova Scotia, including an irregular service to the town of Mahone Bay.
  The bottom of each sheet of Kaulbach Island stamps contains the following instruction: Not valid for the carriage of mail by the Canada Post Office. To be used only in the Kaulbach Island Local Carriage Service and may be placed only on the back of envelopes. Use Canadian postal stamps on all mail for posting in Canada.
  The stamps promote Canada as well as Nova Scotia's South Shore Lighthouse Route. First day cover cancellations were all made on the back of envelopes and featured the words "KAULBACH ISLAND/N.S." in an outer circle, with &quotL.C.S." (for Local Carriage Service) in an inner circle. To the right of the circles are the words "FIRST DAY OF ISSUE" in a four line killer cancel.
  FDC CANCEL
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