"Valentine, Texas" Valentine by Cherie_J

Here is a brief history describing how Valentine received its name.

Valentine, Texas came into being when the Southern Pacific Railroad (coming from the West) stopped work on February 14th 1882. "Let's name this place Valentine," said one railroad worker. "Then we can send Valentines to our sweethearts and have them postmarked from here". "There's two things wrong with that," said the Section Foreman. "For one thing, we're on the lowest rungs of the socio-economic ladder and no one gives a dimpled chad whether we live or die and we ain't got no sweethearts." "Besides, the post office won't be here for another four years".

The section foreman was right. No one cared. The names of the romantic railroad workers have been lost. But it was a nice thought. A romantic thought. A thought too big and too romantic to die. The post office did open in 1886 though, and someone breathed life into the old dream.

The Valentine Post Office

To get a special Valentine-related cancellation, Valentines must be addressed with stamps affixed and placed in an outer envelope addressed to: Postmaster, Valentine Cancellations, to the participating city and state. Here’s the entire list:

Bliss, NY 14024-9998
Darling, MS 38623-9998
Deary, ID 83823-9998
Fidelity, IL 62030-9998
Hart, TX 79043-9998
Hart, MI 49420-9998
Harts, WV 25524-9998
Honeyville, UT 84314-9998
Juliette, GA 31046-9998
Kissimmee, FL 34741-9998
Lovejoy, GA 30250-9998
Lovejoy, IL 62059-9998
Loveland, CO 80537-9998
Loveland, OH 45140-9998
Loveland, OK 73553-9998
Lovely, KY 41231-9998
Loves Park, IL 61111-9998
Loveville, MD 20656-9998
Loving, NM 88256-9998
Loving, TX 76460-9998
Lovington, IL 61937-9998
Romance, AR 72136-9998
Romeo, CO 81148-9998
Romeo, MI 48065-9998
Sugar City, ID 83448-9998
Sweet, ID 83670-9998
Valentine, NE 69201-9998
Valentine, TX 79854-9998
Valentines, VA 23887-9998
Venus, PA 16364-9998

Additional information can be found at:
http://www.texasescapes.com/TOWNS/ValentineTexas/valentinetexas5.htm

• Pros:Small Romantic Town
• In a nutshell:Valentine, Tx is the result of some romantic railroad workers!!