Washington 2006

US #4075 was printed using the original dies of the 1923 stamps it pictures.

On May 27, 2006, the tenth US International Philatelic Exhibition opened at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Officially named Washington Philatelic Exhibition Inc., its most often referred to as Washington 2006.

The show included 640 exhibits from 60 countries. The “Best in Show” award went to Edward Grabowski for his exhibit on Guadeloupe Postal History. The grand prix award for best in show from the host country (America) went to William H. Gross for his US Classics: 1847 thru 1869 and their classic Re-Issues.

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Birth of Al Jolson

US #2849 from the 1994 Popular Singers issue.

Asa “Al” Jolson said he didn’t know when he was born, but later in life claimed his birth date was May 26, 1886.

Born in Yoelson in Srednike, Lithuania, Jolson and his family moved to Washington, DC, in 1894 as his father wanted to provide a better life for his children. After his mother’s death in 1895, Jolson was heartbroken and withdrawn for several months. But that same year, he and his brother discovered show business and were immediately drawn to it.

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Canada Centenary Issue

US #1324 was the first US stamp with First Day ceremonies outside of the US.

On May 25, 1967, the Canada Centennial stamp was issued in Montreal – the first time a US stamp had a First Day ceremony in another country.

The stamp, designed by Ivan Chermayeff, was first made available at the United States Pavilion at Expo ’67 in Montreal Canada. The First Day Covers created there were the first US covers with a first-day cancellation from another country.   The stamps were then made available at US post offices the following day.

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Opening of the Brooklyn Bridge

US #2041 was issued for the bridge’s 100th anniversary.

On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge opened to traffic after 14 years of construction.

German immigrant John Augustus Roebling designed the Brooklyn Bridge. Previously, Roebling had designed several other shorter suspension bridges, including Roebling’s Delaware Aqueduct in Pennsylvania and the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky. Continue reading →

Founding of the New York Public Library 

US #3447 – The library’s two lion statues are named Patience and Fortitude.

On May 23, 1895, the New York Public Library was established. Exactly 16 years later, on May 23, 1911, the main branch of the library opened its doors to the public.

At the suggestion of friend and librarian Joseph Cogswell, businessman John Jacob Astor included a donation of $400,000 in his will to be used to start a public library. After his death in 1848, a board of trustees founded the Astor Library, which opened in the East Village of New York City in 1854.

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First Alphabet Rate Change Stamp 

US #1735 – The first A-rate stamp.

On May 22, 1978, the US issued its first in a long series of Alphabet rate change stamps.

In the years prior, other stamps had been issued non-denominated for impending rate changes. Because postage rates for late 1975 were uncertain, both of the Christmas stamps that year (#1579 and #1580) were issued without denominations. These were the first non-denominated US stamps.

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