For those looking to make their Valentine’s Day mail extra special this year, a postmaster in West Texas is ready to help.
The tiny U.S. Post Office in Valentine — more than 500 miles away from Dallas — is preparing to specially postmark thousands of love letters and greeting cards for the holiday, something that’s been a tradition at the “Love Station of Texas” for decades.
Postmaster Ismelda Ornelas is gearing up for her sixth Valentine’s season at the adobe-style post office on U.S. Route 90.
Each year, she hand-cancels between 10,000 and 12,000 envelopes, according to a U.S. Post Office news release. She calls it a labor of love.
“I truly enjoy stamping the Valentine postmark on every card and letter that comes through this post office and look forward to it every year,” Ornelas said.
The location opened in 1886, and the postmaster began hand-canceling cards with a specially designed postmark in 1983, according to the Texas Historical Commission.
Since 1994, the postmark design has been picked from an annual competition among Valentine ISD students.
This year’s design, featuring a West Texas landscape and campfire, was drawn by seventh grader Ellie Terrazo, a third-generation Valentine resident.
The middle schooler was inspired by memories of campfires burning during family gatherings at her grandfather’s house and similar fires throughout the event grounds at the annual Valentine’s in Valentine outdoor concert.
Last year’s stamp design was a tractor pumping out hearts, inspired by the student’s father who died.
Other recent designs include a cowboy on a horse branded with a heart and a Texas sotol adorned with heart blooms.
Put your Valentine’s Day mail in an envelope, address it to the recipient and add the required postage stamp.
Place that mail in a larger envelope or box, also with the appropriate stamps.
Address it to Valentine’s Day Postmark, Postmaster, 311 W. California Ave., Valentine, TX, 79854-9998.
The postmaster will open the larger envelope or box, stamp each valentine that was inside and send it off to its final destination.
The earlier you send the mail, the more likely it’ll be delivered in time for Valentine’s Day.
The service is free for up to 50 pieces of mail, and the cancellation is available through March 14.
Valentine, roughly halfway between Los Angeles and New Orleans, has a population of about 100, according to the 2022 census. The town is an isolated ranching community in Jeff Davis County.
People traveling from Marfa to see the Prada Marfa art installation have driven through Valentine, right past the post office. There’s dispute over whether Valentine got its name from the Southern Pacific Railroad crew laying tracks heading east stopping there on Feb. 14, 1882, or for major railroad stockholder and Wells Fargo President John Valentine, according to the historical commission.
The U.S. Postal Service has similar “Valentine remailing” programs at towns throughout the country with names that correlate with the holiday.
There are literal names, like Valentine, Texas; Valentine, Neb.; and Valentines, Va.
The other Texas towns are Honey Grove, Lovelady, Loving and Venus.
Dozens more post offices across the country, such as Darling, Miss.; Kissimmee, Fla.; Lovejoy, Ga.; Romance, Ark.; and Sugar City, Colo., also participate in the program.
