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.
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.
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:
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
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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