Owney
Encyclopedia
Owney was a stray mixed breed terrier adopted as the first official postal mascot by Railway Mail Service and Albany, New York
, post office in 1888.
As his trips grew longer, the postal clerks at Albany became concerned that the dog be identified, and, if necessary returned to them. They bought Owney a collar with a metal tag that read: "Owney, Post Office, Albany, New York" at which point he became the unofficial mascot of the Railway Mail Service.
The dog was later adopted by Railway Mail clerks as their unofficial mascot. They marked his travels by placing tags on his collar. Throughout his life, Owney accumulated an unknown number of tags, tokens, trinkets, and medals; some of which are now on display at the National Postal Museum
.
In 1895, Owney made an around-the-world trip, aboard trains and steamships. Starting from Tacoma, Washington, he traveled throughout Asia and across Europe, before returning to Albany.
Owney retired from the Railway Mail Service in 1897 due to poor eyesight and old age. However, as a world-traveled dog he was difficult to contain and slipped out of the Albany post office in June 1897.
The exact details of the incident which lead to his death are unclear, but according to the National Postal Museum website, "Owney rode the train one last time before he died."
Newspapers around the country carried the story of Owney's death. They reported that Owney had been ill, was about 17 years old and had become aggressive in his old age. After attacking a postal clerk and a US Marshal in Toledo, Ohio, Owney was shot and killed on the orders of the local Postmaster.
On July 27, 2011, the United States Postal Service
issued a Forever stamp honoring Owney.
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, post office in 1888.
Story
Owney was abandoned by an Albany postal worker (no name was mentioned) in 1888 and was quickly adopted by the other post office workers working there. He usually slept on the mail bags and when they were moved, Owney went with them. He was considered to be good luck by postal workers, since no train he ever rode on was in a wreck.As his trips grew longer, the postal clerks at Albany became concerned that the dog be identified, and, if necessary returned to them. They bought Owney a collar with a metal tag that read: "Owney, Post Office, Albany, New York" at which point he became the unofficial mascot of the Railway Mail Service.
The dog was later adopted by Railway Mail clerks as their unofficial mascot. They marked his travels by placing tags on his collar. Throughout his life, Owney accumulated an unknown number of tags, tokens, trinkets, and medals; some of which are now on display at the National Postal Museum
National Postal Museum
The National Postal Museum, located opposite Union Station in Washington, D.C., USA, was established through joint agreement between the United States Postal Service and the Smithsonian Institution and opened in 1993. The museum is located across the street from Union Station, in the building that...
.
In 1895, Owney made an around-the-world trip, aboard trains and steamships. Starting from Tacoma, Washington, he traveled throughout Asia and across Europe, before returning to Albany.
Owney retired from the Railway Mail Service in 1897 due to poor eyesight and old age. However, as a world-traveled dog he was difficult to contain and slipped out of the Albany post office in June 1897.
The exact details of the incident which lead to his death are unclear, but according to the National Postal Museum website, "Owney rode the train one last time before he died."
Newspapers around the country carried the story of Owney's death. They reported that Owney had been ill, was about 17 years old and had become aggressive in his old age. After attacking a postal clerk and a US Marshal in Toledo, Ohio, Owney was shot and killed on the orders of the local Postmaster.
On July 27, 2011, the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
issued a Forever stamp honoring Owney.