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USPS News: Philatelic Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2001
Stamp Release No. 01-059
Postal Service Unveils 'Greetings From America' Postage Stamps At Travel Industry Forum
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The stamps combine flora and fauna with local points of interest into collages that celebrate the unique character of each of the 50 states. The designs are reminiscent of the retro "large letter" postcards popular with tourists in the 1930s and 1940s.
"With these colorful, educational stamps, we're recalling the warm and friendly tradition of postcard and letter greetings exchanged through the mail between friends and family across the miles," said Cathy Caggiano, executive director of Stamp Services for the Postal Service.
"These stamps will also serve as a lasting reminder of the Postal Service's commitment to its role in binding the nation together through universal service at affordable rates," said Caggiano.
"We believe the Greetings From America stamps will generate tremendous pride in each state, and they will help raise awareness of our efforts to promote and facilitate increased travel to and within the United States," said William S. Norman, president and CEO, Travel Industry Association of America (TIA).
The Greetings From America stamps will be issued in April 2002, marking the first issuance of a pane of 50 stamps in 10 years. The Wildflowers pane of 50 stamps issued in 1992 continue to hold their place as the second most popular commemorative stamps of all time, behind the Elvis stamp.
The bright colors and creative designs of the Greetings From America stamps hint at the romance of travel and discovery and convey a nostalgia for all aspects of popular American culture. Text on the back of the 50-stamp pane will list each state's bird, flower, tree and capital city, as well as the date it entered the Union.
The stamps were illustrated by Lonnie Busch of Franklin, N.C. Richard Sheaff of Scottsdale, Ariz., was the art director. Busch's art was inspired by the retro "large letter" postcards that were used to advertise cities, states or tourist attractions. Bearing the legend "Greetings from," these retro postcards featured depictions of local scenes inside big letters that spelled out the name of the place or attraction. Some cities are now reproducing large letter postcards.
To see the Greetings From America stamps, go to the Postal Service Web site at www.usps.com. Click on News and Events then Philatelic News, and locate the online version of this press release. The stamps will be available in April 2002. Images of many past and future stamp issues can be found in the Collector's Corner of the Postal Store at www.usps.com/shop.
All current stamps and other philatelic products, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available by calling toll free 1 800 STAMP-24. In addition, a selection of current stamps and gift items are available online at the Postal Store.
The TIA Marketing Form is an annual educational forum that for 27 years has united travel industry leaders in an intensive three-day series of sessions. These sessions provide members with detailed projections related to industry segments, economic outlook, demographic changes, technological advances and the international inbound market into the U.S. This year's Forum runs through Oct. 4.
To find out more about TIA, visit their Web site at www.SeeAmerica.org. The site is one of the world's leading destinations for travel and tourism information. Also watch the site and your local post offices for a Greetings From America/SeeAmerica.org Sweepstakes coming next spring.
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STATE BIRDS, FLOWERS, TREES, CAPITALS AND STATEHOODS
Following state-specific facts are on the back of the Greetings From America stamp pane:
Following state-specific facts are on the back of the Greetings From America stamp pane:
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Alabama Bird: Yellowhammer Flower: Camellia Tree: Southern Longleaf Pine Capital: Montgomery Statehood: Dec. 14, 1819 Alaska Bird: Willow Ptarmigan Flower: Forget-me-not Tree: Sitka Spruce Capital: Juneau Statehood: Jan. 3, 1959 Arizona Bird: Cactus Wren Flower: Saguaro blossom Tree: Paloverde Capital: Phoenix Statehood: Feb. 14, 1912 Arkansas Bird: Mockingbird Flower: Apple blossom Tree: Pine Capital: Little Rock Statehood: June 15, 1836 California Bird: California Quail Flower: California Poppy Tree: California Redwood Capital: Sacramento Statehood: Sept. 9, 1850 Colorado Bird: Lark Bunting Flower: White/Lavender Columbine Tree: Blue Spruce Capital: Denver Statehood: Aug. 1, 1876 Connecticut Bird: Robin Flower: Mountain Laurel Tree: White Oak Capital: Hartford Statehood: Jan. 9, 1788 Delaware Bird: Blue Hen Chicken Flower: Peach blossom Tree: American Holly Capital: Dover Statehood: Dec. 7, 1787 Florida Bird: Mockingbird Flower: Orange blossom Tree: Sabal Palm Capital: Tallahassee Statehood: March 3, 1845 Georgia Bird: Brown Thrasher Flower: Cherokee Rose Tree: Live Oak Capital: Atlanta Statehood: Jan. 2, 1788 Hawaii Bird: Nene Flower: Yellow Hibiscus Tree: Kukui (Candlenut) Capital: Honolulu Statehood: Aug. 21, 1959 Idaho Bird: Mountain Bluebird Flower: Syringa Tree: Western White Pine Capital: Boise Statehood: July 3, 1890 Illinois Bird: Cardinal Flower: Violet Tree: White Oak Capital: Springfield Statehood: Dec. 3, 1818 Indiana Bird: Cardinal Flower: Peony Tree: Tulip Poplar Capital: Indianapolis Statehood: Dec. 11, 1816 Iowa Bird: American Goldfinch Flower: Wild Rose Tree: Oak Capital: Des Moines Statehood: Dec. 28, 1846 Kansas Bird: Western Meadowlark Flower: Wild Native Sunflower Tree: Cottonwood Capital: Topeka Statehood: Jan. 29, 1861 Kentucky Bird: Cardinal Flower: Goldenrod Tree: Tulip Poplar Capital: Frankfort Statehood: June 1, 1792 Louisiana Bird: Brown Pelican Flower: Magnolia Tree: Bald Cypress Capital: Baton Rouge Statehood: April 30, 1812 Maine Bird: Chickadee Flower: White Pine cone/tassel Tree: White Pine Capital: Augusta Statehood: March 15, 1820 Maryland Bird: Baltimore Oriole Flower: Black-eyed Susan Tree: White Oak Capital: Annapolis Statehood: April 28, 1788 Massachusetts Bird: Black-capped Chickadee Flower: Mayflower Tree: American Elm Capital: Boston Statehood: Feb. 6, 1788 Michigan Bird: Robin Flower: Apple Blossom Tree: White Pine Capital: Lansing Statehood: Jan. 26, 1837 Minnesota Bird: Common Loon Flower: Pink/White Lady Slipper Tree: Norway Pine Capital: St. Paul Statehood: May 11, 1858 Mississippi Bird: Mockingbird Flower: Magnolia Tree: Magnolia Capital: Jackson Statehood: Dec. 10, 1817 Missouri Bird: Eastern Bluebird Flower: White Hawthorn Blossom Tree: Flowering Dogwood Capital: Jefferson City Statehood: Aug. 10, 1821 |
Montana Bird: Western Meadowlark Flower: Bitterroot Tree: Ponderosa Pine Capital: Helena Statehood: Nov. 8, 1889 Nebraska Bird: Meadowlark Flower: Goldenrod Tree: Cottonwood Capital: Lincoln Statehood: March 1, 1867 Nevada Bird: Mountain Bluebird Flower: Sagebrush Tree: Single-leaf Piñon and Bristlecone Pine Capital: Carson City Statehood: Oct. 31, 1864 New Hampshire Bird: Purple Finch Flower: Purple Lilac Tree: White Birch Capital: Concord Statehood: June 21, 1788 New Jersey Bird: American Goldfinch Flower: Violet Tree: Red Oak Capital: Trenton Statehood: Dec. 18, 1787 New Mexico Bird: Roadrunner Flower: Yucca Tree: Piñon Pine Capital: Santa Fe Statehood: Jan. 6, 1912 New York Bird: Eastern Bluebird Flower: Rose Tree: Sugar Maple Capital: Albany Statehood: July 26, 1788 North Carolina Bird: Cardinal Flower: Flowering Dogwood Tree: Pine Capital: Raleigh Statehood: Nov. 21, 1789 North Dakota Bird: Western Meadowlark Flower: Wild Prairie Rose Tree: American Elm Capital: Bismarck Statehood: Nov. 2, 1889 Ohio Bird: Cardinal Flower: Red Carnation Tree: Ohio Buckeye Capital: Columbus Statehood: March 1, 1803 Oklahoma Bird: Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Flower: Mistletoe Tree: Redbud Capital: Oklahoma City Statehood: Nov. 16, 1907 Oregon Bird: Western Meadowlark Flower: Oregon Grape Tree: Douglas Fir Capital: Salem Statehood: Feb. 14, 1859 Pennsylvania Bird: Ruffed Grouse Flower: Mountain Laurel Tree: Hemlock Capital: Harrisburg Statehood: Dec. 12, 1787 Rhode Island Bird: Rhode Island Red Flower: Violet Tree: Red Maple Capital: Providence Statehood: May 29, 1790 South Carolina Bird: Carolina Wren Flower: Carolina Jessamine Tree: Palmetto Capital: Columbia Statehood: May 23, 1788 South Dakota Bird: Ring-necked Pheasant Flower: Pasqueflower Tree: Black Hills Spruce Capital: Pierre Statehood: Nov. 2, 1889 Tennessee Bird: Mockingbird Flower: Iris Tree: Tulip Poplar Capital: Nashville Statehood: June 1, 1796 Texas Bird: Mockingbird Flower: Bluebonnet Tree: Pecan Capital: Austin Statehood: Dec. 29, 1845 Utah Bird: California Gull Flower: Sego Lily Tree: Blue Spruce Capital: Salt Lake City Statehood: Jan. 4, 1896 Vermont Bird: Hermit Thrush Flower: Red Clover Tree: Sugar Maple Capital: Montpelier Statehood: March 4, 1791 Virginia Bird: Cardinal Flower: Flowering Dogwood Tree: Flowering Dogwood Capital: Richmond Statehood: June 25, 1788 Washington Bird: American Goldfinch Flower: Coast Rhododendron Tree: Western Hemlock Capital: Olympia Statehood: November 11, 1889 West Virginia Bird: Cardinal Flower: Big Laurel Tree: Sugar Maple Capital: Charleston Statehood: June 20, 1863 Wisconsin Bird: Robin Flower: Wood Violet Tree: Sugar Maple Capital: Madison Statehood: May 29, 1848 Wyoming Bird: Western Meadowlark Flower: Indian Paintbrush Tree: Plains Cottonwood Capital: Cheyenne Statehood: July 10, 1890 |
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