Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
This tree was a monster 100 years ago and it's still a monster today! The postcard says "So. Jacksonville, Fla.", but it's just on the south bank of the St. Johns River, a far cry from what we would consider "South Jacksonville" today. I drove close by there for work today and I jumped out and snapped a pic. I have admired this tree many times and was thrilled to see this postcard come up.
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Very Cool WW2 Patriotic cover From July of 1943. The allies had just invaded Italy and the battle for Kursk was raging on the eastern front. This guy looks more like a WW1 Doughboy to me though.
and 81 years later PFC Barwicki's boyhood home is still standing!
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That helmet is first war issue, but it was still in use in 1941. The M1917 helmet was replaced in 1942 by the M1 steel pot. The rifle, however, looks more like a Garand M1 than the M1903 Springfield
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David,
Thanks for sharing this. I thought that the transition happened much earlier closer to the previous WW.
Read an interesting article that touches on this topic showing Marines on their way to the Pacific theater:
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003115-00/sec4.htm
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I don't think Bill liked it here. Haha
Memorial Park is cherished here in Jacksonville. It's a beautiful place with mature landscaping right on the river.
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Pleasing cover. I love the green penmanship and the way it compliments the printed envelope and three Scott 839s.
I'm thinking whoever mailed this purposefully bought the green stamps (when they could have easily bought the 3c) and used the green pen because they liked the way it looked too.
I searched high and low and could not find anything about 226 Hogan St. I'm not sure but I think it was demolished to build the Skyway.
The Vowettes were advertisers in the Jacksonville Jewish Center Yearbook, and they were stamp dealers!
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from Tourist trade: In 19th-century Jax, souvenirs ranged from the usual to the unusual Georgia Pribanic, The Florida Times-Union, August 27, 2022
"After the disruption and destruction of the Civil War, the following years in Jacksonville were a time of rebuilding. The population exploded, new buildings were erected and expanded, new businesses opened and transportation from the North improved. This economic recovery was aided by the flow of tourists from the North escaping the harsh winters.
In addition, articles in Harper’s Weekly and other publications extolled the virtues, the beauty of this exotic location and the unique animals such as alligators.
Of course, health benefits of the Sunshine State were also an extremely attractive argument. Come to Florida and be cured of consumption (also known as tuberculosis) — while not mentioning the various fevers, infections and diseases that could kill. All these elements combined into a public relations campaign that resulted in a thriving tourist industry.
Grand hotels awaited the arrival of these wealthy visitors who had the money and time to explore and reside temporarily in our area. The most elegant was the St. James Hotel, which was the largest in the South, open for guests from December to May. A photo of the St. James was part of an ad in the March 1888 issue of New England Magazine with the expected marketing hyperbole used to entice tourists:
“Unsurpassed in elegance of appointments, embracing a spacious dining room lighted by electric lights; Rooms en-suite with baths; Billiard Parlor lighted by electricity; Electric bells throughout the Hotel; Steam heat; Elevator and a Fine orchestra.”
This centrally located hotel located on the highest ground in the area faced the St. James Park (now James Weldon Johnson Park). What more could a tourist want? It was a well-known destination not only nationally but internationally. The register listed the names of many famous people that once stayed there, with a sprinkle of dukes, counts and lesser personalities.
According to Davis, a typical day began with breakfast, followed by shopping after 10 a.m. Bay Street was the hub of activity where well-dressed visitors explored the various curio shops and stores. This was repeated from 3 to 5 p.m. Then the evening festivities were transferred to the hotels with music supplied by various orchestras and bands.
Osky’s Curio Store was one of the largest companies to sell unusual trophies. They began in 1884 and were located on Bay Street until 1955. Their selection was unique and covered many types of items, often with alligator themes. Alligator teeth were used to make jewelry items while canes, spoons, corkscrews, cigarette holders and ink pens were typically engraved with alligator motifs.
One of the most unusual items was an alligator coin purse. In fact, if you tour the Merrill House Museum, an example can be found on the second floor.
An alligator coin purse was small and easily portable, so ladies could purchase one and, returning home, impress her friends with this curio from an exotic animal. This practice was eclipsed later by more fancy and elegant souvenirs, especially after 1890. Poaching of the alligator was eventually outlawed when the reptile faced possible extinction."
Georgia Pribanic, librarian, Jacksonville Historical Society
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Battle of Ocean Pond
On February 20, 1864 the largest and most significant action of the American Civil war in Florida occurred at Ocean Pond in Baker County about 45 miles from my house.
About 5,000 Union troops under General Truman Seymore were threatening to open up the interior of Florida and Georgia to a "Sherman-like" march through one or both states.
The outnumbered Confederates dug in at the most defensible spot, a small section of land near the train tracks (still there) wedged between two swampy areas.
Help arrived as General Alfred Holt Colquitt marched his brigade down from Georgia bolstering the Confederate ranks. The yankees were thoroughly repulsed and nearly routed as General Colquitt came to be remembered as the "Hero of the Battle of Ocean Pond".
The interior of Florida was never invaded and Tallahassee was the only Confederate Capital in the east to not fall to the Union armies.
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This is the earliest example I could find with a nice, bold 1912 Saint Augustine cancel. We love this place. One of our favorite places to take out-of-town guests. The sender wrote "hot here. about 90 in the middle of the day." He must have been from Michigan because 90 in late March is not uncommon at all.
This is a special place to us. We're members of the Lighthouse Society and they have special events where you can go up during a full moon.
A picture I took from the nature trail that goes around the lighthouse:
My girl from atop the observation deck:
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One of my favorite places in the world as well. The view from the top of the lighthouse in the winter is spectacular!
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The Lighthouse card was published by the H & W. B. Drew Co. of Jacksonville, Florida.
The corporate remnants of this company survive to this day as Wells & Drew and they have offices here in Jacksonville and in south Florida:
https://wellsdrew.com/about-us/
This is their original building that burned down in the Great Fire of 1901. Remember the Great Fire, it will come up again in a future post! Ciao Kids!
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a look at Jacksonville Postal History would not be complete without this card. The Cohen Brothers' first store was in a building made of logs on Bay Street opened not too long after the Civil War.
After the Great Fire of 1901, a young New York architect read about the devastation in the New York Times and sensed an opportunity. Henry John Klutho was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright and became a leading "Prairie School" Architect. Klutho designed dozens of upscale homes, apartments and commercial buildings all around the City of Jacksonville.
The St. James Building on Duval Street became his crowning achievement. The City purchased the building in 1993 and it is now Jacksonville City Hall. The building is magnificent.
IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: Look at the postmark, Penney Farms, Florida which is 17 miles from my house in Clay County. Penney Farms was founded by another department store magnate, none other than Mr. James Cash Penney. Here is a statue of Mr. Penney in front of the Town Hall.
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
This cover has alot going for it:
Tobacciana items are always in demand. Right up there with the other big ones Militaria and Breweriana. this one is clean, sharp, colorful, pre-WW2 and printed on two sides; SOLD.
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Another card by the H & W.B. Drew Co. This one has a Military Branch cancel. I couldn't find anything on this type of cancel. Would like to know more about it if someone knows.
This card features the Florida National Bank Building, the Florida Life Insurance Building and the Bisbee Building. All three were built after the Great Fire of 1901 with the later two having been designed by Henry John Klutho.
All three buildings are still standing and they have come be known as the "Laura Street Trio". They have been unoccupied and have sit derelict for years with repeated, failed attempts to have them renovated. Just this week it was in the news that negotiations between the city and developers broke down with each side accusing the other of negotiating in bad faith:
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2024 ...
They were going to turn the buildings into a 4 star hotel, 170 luxury apartments and spaces for high-end dining and bars. The last picture shows what they look like today. I sure wish they would save these beautiful buildings.
By LoneStarMike - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11174680:
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Unfortunately, the cost of bringing old buildings up to current codes is astronomical. Old bank buildings seem to be particularly hard to repurpose as most towns in central Florida have one or two sitting empty.
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Hey Joe, thanks for the comment.
Yeah, they were talking about a $188 MILLION price tag. .... and so they continue to sit.
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Today we're taking a look at Jacksonville's long history of Naval Aviation. Naval Air Station Jacksonville is 3 miles from my house.
I THINK these are Vought SB2U Vindicators. These would have been carrier based dive bombers. The first monoplanes developed for this role. I think the paint scheme means these are in a training squadron which would have made sense for NAS JAX.
I love the message on this card. "Buzz" Shaffer tells "Kitty and the boys" that he's "feeling fine" and that he hopes to be "home for Christmas". I know some of ya'll are really good with deciphering images. Would love for someone to be able to tell me what year this was cancelled.
Found the original black and white photograph:
IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE:
NAS JAX just so happens to be the birthplace of The Blue Angels, the US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron.
from flyjacksonville.com:
"In 1946, Lt. Cmdr. Roy “Butch” Voris organized the formation of a flight
demonstration team to keep the public interested in naval aviation. The Blue
Angels performed for the first time in June 1946 at their home base, Naval Air
Station Jacksonville. In August 1946, they switched from flying the Grumman
F6F Hellcat to the Grumman F8F Bearcat and introduced the famous diamond
formation."
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This is the Jacksonville Union Train Terminal built in 1919. It was for a long time the busiest train station in the south servicing over 100 trains a day. Postmarked March 16, 1932
Today it's the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center and they also host weddings there.
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Camp Blanding is in Clay County and is about a 15-minute drive from my house. The base was federalized in 1940 and served as a huge training base during WW2. They even used part of the base to house German POWs. I think this card is neat because it was mailed by a female Lt. in the Army Nurse Corps.
The base is named after distinguished Floridian General Albert Hazen Blanding. Blanding was on the mission to capture Pancho Villa and later served in WW1. They've got a great museum on the base with Gen. Blanding's .45 on display.
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Scott 1011 (3c Mount Rushmore) and Scott 1013 (3c Service Women) tied by duplex cancels. Jacksonville, Florida Jan. 2, 1953 West Bay St. Station. I think this one is underpaid by 1 cent.
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Erniejax — You are living my dream!
I sometimes fantasize a different life for me, one in which I remain in my hometown, Silver City, New Mexico, stay in journalism, and become a locally respected, expert amateur historian. I would study the area’s history (Anasazi culture and history, the Spanish Conquest, the Indian Wars, gunfighters and gunfights — Billy the Kid lived committed his first crime there — local mining history, forestry, wildfires, floods, and even disease; my paternal grandparents were the first Ingrahams to move to New Mexico in hopes that the dry, warm climate would cure my grandmother’s TB. She lived another 50 years, but probably not because of a different climate.
I would also look into the history of aviation, railroads, and the local National Guard unit, which was captured in entirety by the Japanese at Corregidor, and maybe even local personalities like Senator Jeff Bingaman (a classmate of mine) and Harrison Schmidt, the last American astronaut, IIRC, to ride the Moon Buggy on the moon.
To learn more, click on the link below to my Ephemeral Treasures website, and then scroll down to my New Mexico section.
Bob
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Bob,
I LOVE IT! Thank you so much for the comment. I sometimes wonder if people on here even read these. 
I am having so much fun and learning alot about the history of the city and surrounding areas.
Dude, I need to check out the website. So much history in that area just from what you've mentioned here. I drove through New Mexico once and I really want to get back there.
Thanks again Bob. Hope you have a Happy New Year.
Ernie
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12:33:40pm
"I sometimes wonder if people on here even read these"
Sorry, a bit off topic, but I wonder as well! I've had a couple sellers message me asking if the postal strike is over yet so they can send out the items. I always assumed most people here read these posts but obviously I am wrong. To me it's the reason I joined the site and enjoy this part very much. Unless I get blasted for saying something real stupid! That's happened a few times!!
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Thanks Ernie!
I love a good bit of hometown history myself!
You have to go to the Treaty Oak to see it for sure!
That thing is HUGE!
Happy New Year!
-Ari 
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@Harvey, Happy New Year!
@Ari, got your message re: the JAX Stamp Club. Would love to get to the auction Tuesday but I'm traveling for work. Will definitely connect with you soon.
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Ernie,
I love history too. Being from philadelphia I grew up with history all around me, my favorite subject in school. Philly postal history is one of my collecting interest.
I have had an interest in bellefonte history since we started visiting here. This is a town filled with history, another area I collect. I found an interesting letter concerning a runaway slave in bellefonte on eBay. I didn’t win it but did scan it for my collection. I’ll start a thread later tonight for bellefonte and post it.
Vince
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This is the old Carnegie Library building located at 101 E. Adams St. The building was erected in 1905 and designed by yes, you guessed it, our favorite architect, Mr. Henry John Klutho. You'll notice that the architecture lands squarely in the neoclassical which was clearly not what Klutho was wanting to do at the time. I read that Carnegie's personal secretary managed the funding of each library project and that the physical architecture and layout was carefully reviewed. Carnegie libraries were almost always of this neoclassical design seen here.
The whole story of Carnegie libraries is fascinating. From Wikipedia: "In 1992, the New York Times reported that, according to a survey conducted by George Bobinski, dean of the School of Information and Library Studies at the State University at Buffalo, 1,554 of the 1,681 original Carnegie library buildings in the United States still existed, and 911 were still used as libraries. He found that 276 were unchanged, 286 had been expanded, 175 had been remodeled, 243 had been demolished, and others had been converted to other uses."
"While hundreds of the library buildings have been adapted for use as museums, community centers, office buildings, residences, or other uses, more than half of those in the United States still serve their communities as libraries over a century after their construction. Many are located in what are now middle- to low-income neighborhoods. For example, Carnegie libraries still form the nucleus of the New York Public Library system in New York City, with 31 of the original 39 buildings still in operation; Carnegie Libraries operate in all 5 Boroughs of New York City across its three library systems."
The building is still in use today and since 1984 has been home to the Bedell Law Firm which is the oldest law firm in Florida having been founded in Jacksonville in 1865.
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Perfect strike on this Saint Augustine duplex cancel from March 29, 1913.
The Spanish started building the Castillo de San Marcos 1n 1672. The fort was in military operation under the Spanish (twice), British, Confederates and the United States.
Three days after Florida succeeded from the Union a group of Confederate soldiers came and demanded that the small contingent of Union soldiers surrender the fort. The Union Sgt. in charge demanded that the Confederates "give him a receipt" for all of the military equipment on hand. The Confederates were so impressed with his spirit that they took up a collection amongst themselves to pay his passage back to his hometown of Philadelphia.
The United States decommissioned Fort Marion 1n 1900 after it had seen operation for over 200 years under 5 flags.
We love to stop in walk the grounds and get up on the gun platform on a nice day.
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One of my favorite places to go. At the southern end of Anastasia island is a much smaller fort, Fort Matanzas, which protected the city from attackers from the south. The French lost a bloody battle there. Today, it is a national monument and free to visit and tour.
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@joesm, yep. "Matanzas" means "massacres". The Spaniards put over 100 Frenchman to the sword right on the beach. The whole area is a reminder of much different time.
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This is one of my favorites. I hope Michael Numbers sees this because I know he loves trains.
The Orange Blossom Special ran during the winter months from 1925 through 1953. The line ran New York City to Miami with stops in Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale, Winter Haven, Tampa, St. Pete, Orlando, Gainesville and Tallahassee. This train represents the pinnacle and Golden Age of rail travel in America.
The "Streamliners" took over with their names like Zephyr, Meteor, and Comet with their powerful diesel electric locomotives and with sleek Art Deco Styling. These babies were FAST and COMFORTABLE. These trains had all the luxuries, Club Car, Dining Car and fully stocked Lounge Car. You could have a couple of drinks and maybe get in on a card game. Yep, you just sat back and glided through the orange groves. All the Pullman cars were fully air-conditioned.
When you saw this beauty all decked out in citrus colors pulling up to the station it was a BIG DEAL.
The Man-in-Black, Mr. Johnny Cash sang it best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPSiK5dC ...
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Another neat card from Camp Blanding posted November 24, 1942. I wonder what this guy was thinking as he must have known he was going straight to the front in Europe in a conflict that had absolutely nothing to do with him. Well, Stalingrad had just happened that summer so maybe they were somewhat more optimistic thinking the aura of German invincibility had been shattered. Midway had just happened also. There was still so much fighting and dying yet to be done but maybe he was optimistic. I wonder what unit this guy ended up in. the 1st, 29th, 43rd and 79th Infantry Divisions all landed at D-Day and all of them trained at Camp Blanding. The 1st and the 29th saw the bloodiest action right on Omaha Beach. He wanted his cigarette lighter and a camera!
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a bit beat up but a nice card postmarked February 10, 1912 from Saint Augustine, Florida to Horseheads, New York. Shows the old city Gates to Saint Augustine built in 1808.
Some years ago I was walking through an antique shop in Jacksonville and saw this print of a pen and ink drawing of the gates. Nothing too special, a mass produced souvenir from the 60s I'm guessing. I liked it because it was nicely matted and framed. I thought they wanted too much for it ($20 I think it was). I told my wife about it over a dinner I think. She didn't tell me she was going to do it but I few days later I noticed it hanging on the wall in our dining room. She had gone down and picked it up!
A pic I snapped of one of our friends visiting from New York
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Kind of ironic. Roy just posted about the "football cancels" and this one shows up. Jacksonville, Florida to Boothbay, Maine Scott # 213 tied with CDS "football cancel" April 8th, 1888, receiving mark on the back. There isn't much in Boothbay today; it would have been a very, remote and out of the way place in 1888.
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06:32:33pm
If you ever run into it there is an amazing precancel of the 2 cent black Harding for Jacksonville, Florida done in a gorgeous shade of red. I'm positive it's legit since it's mentioned in Gunesch's book on precancels in the section on coloured precancels along with two others that I've managed to find. If I didn't like it so much and if I didn't collect precancels of the 2 cent Hardings and if I didn't collect coloured precancels I would send it off to you!! Maybe someday!!
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06:35:59pm
Here are the pictures of a couple red precancels, one from Jacksonville and a nice precanceled postage due from Jacksonville! Nice items, especially the red ones!! I collect precancels on the black 2 cent Hardings. I'm trying to get one per state but have only got about half, some are very hard to find!!
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Scott # 804 tied to card by February 3, 1948 Jacksonville, Florida cancel. "Hold that Gator,"
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This is another fascinating card from Camp Blanding postmarked December 21, 1943 to Peekskill, New York.
This was from Private John "Bab" Babchak, one of "The Greatest Generation". 1943 was the height of the U.S. military draft with over 3.3 million young men being conscripted for military service, the most of any year in U.S. history.
From the handwriting and what he has written, to me, he sounds like just a kid.
I found him on the 1950 census!
By 1950, "Bab" was 24 and it looks like he made it back home to Westchester County. He was unmarried and the census shows that he was "OT" (other) in the column, "what has this person been doing?". He was probably in college on the GI bill.
According to the census, the Babchak's fostered two children, siblings Frederick and Cynthia Silva. They had a nice big house for it which is still there at 856 Paulding Ave.
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This card was mailed from Jacksonville, Florida to the little village of Albion, New York (outside of Rochester) March 28th, 1961.
Exodus with Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint was the top movie on the big screen and Elvis Presley ruled the US charts with his # 1 hit Surrender and held the # 1 spot in the UK with Wooden Heart.
These were much different times, in some ways better, in some ways not.
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Interesting postcard postmarked June 27th, 1907 from Jacksonville, Florida to Brevard, North Carolina. Brevard is in Transylvania County in an extremely rural area on the Tennessee border smack dab in the middle of the Smokey Mountains.
The sender references a "tent meeting" that they're having in the middle of Main St.; he was probably an itinerant preacher or evangelist. He tells "Miss Duckworth" that he'll "be there 1st Sunday in July". I bet he liked Miss Duckworth and was trying to court her.
One thing I can't figure out is his postscript. Elsom? Does anyone know what was written there?
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05:39:25pm
Ernie, just wondering if you collect all postcards from Jacksonville and if you do how many you have. A friend collects all postcards from the little rinky-dink county we were born in and has over 1200! How many would a large city like Jacksonville have?
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Is it possible that the " P. S. Elsom??" is the senders initials and surname?
And not "Post Script"?
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Hi Harvey,
Good evening! I don't collect all. I keep my eyes open for unusual items or places that I know of or have some personal connection. It's been fun. I keep looking for true "covers" but not a lot come up. Most are just few bucks and I only collect postally used.
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"Is it possible that the " P. S. Elsom??" is the senders initials and surname?
And not "Post Script"?"
MikeL, very interesting! That's absolutely a possibility and that never crossed my mind. I need to try to search that as a name.
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MikeL,
You nailed it. I found him. It was actually a "G" and not an "S". The card was sent from Reverend Percy G. Elsom. Found him in an old directory.
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Hi Ernie,
Here is a link for a book with Jacksonville postcards.
Arcadia publishing has hundreds of books on local histories, many are illustrations of postcards. I have several dozen.
https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/produc ...
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Nice recommendation Vince. Thank you. I see one on eBay right now for $5 and free shipping!
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A great postcard dated May, 1st 1922. The sender says, "Dear Momma, I had no idea this was such a wonderful city.."
Located at 219 N. Newnan St. in downtown Jacksonville, this building was once the headquarters of the Morocco Shriners International. Designed by our favorite architect, John Henry Klutho, and built in 1910, this work fully displays Klutho's interpretation of the the Prairie School of archecture and is probably Klutho's most striking example of why he is known as a Frank Lloyd Wright disciple.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple in Oak Park, IL was completed just a year earlier:
Today, the building is home to the 87 year old Cecil W. Powell Insurance Company. If you look real closely at the postcard you can just make out the two magnificent Sphinx figures who flank each side of the main entrance!
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"Let's Go! U.S.A. Stamp 'em Out!"
Another Barwicki cover. I posted one last September where he addresses himself as P.F.C. it was cancelled July 9, 1943. So by January 20 of the following year he had picked up Corporal.
Hindsight is always perfect but in January of 1944 D-Day was still 6 months away and the war was far from over and the outcome was still very much in question. On January 20, 1944 units of the 36th Calvary Division launched an operation on the Italian Front that would come to be known as the Battle of Rapido River. It was an utter disaster and one of the worst American losses of WW2.
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I love my U.S. used singles collection but more and more I feel the pull toward what may be my true love... postal history. Here for your consideration is a beautiful cover, still somewhat straight and bright. Sent from Jacksonville, Florida on September 22nd, 1941 to the incredibly beautiful area of Great Falls, Montana.
This was sent with no return address and to a Ms. Rae Jeanne Berube of the Columbus School of Nursing. Was it an application for acceptance? Why Jacksonville to a nursing school in Montana?
I've also included a picture from the school's graduating class in 1941.
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I really like this cover. Two copies of Scott 723 tied by Jacksonville circular cancel on January 28, 1937. I'm a little confused on the rate though. I read that the domestic airmail rate in 1937 was 6 cents for 2 oz.
At this time, the West Bay Annex was a huge facility and handled up to 80% of the mail coming into the state of Florida. The West Bay Annex was in the heart of the LaVilla neighborhood which was once called the "Harlem of the South". More on LaVilla soon!
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Two fascinating postcards showing the same building 34 years apart. The first card is from 1913 showing what was then the Hotel Flagler, built in 1910, on the NW corner of Adams and Davis Streets. This hotel was just a few blocks from the busiest train station in the south at that time. Dad says, "Momma arrived safe and be a good boy and feed my chickens...". Postmarked March 4th in Jacksonville on its way to Huntington, West Virginia.
In this second card, you can see that the fire escapes have been taken down and that the building was painted white as part of a big renovation. From thejaxsonmag.com:
Catering to nearby railroad terminal passengers, the 125-room Hotel Flagler was located at the northwest corner of West Adams and Davis streets. The Hotel Flagler was the first hotel owned by hotel magnate Robert Kloeppel, Sr. Kloeppel was a penniless German immigrant who spoke little English when he arrived in America in 1905. Relocating to Jacksonville a year later, he eventually become an attorney who opened a law office in the Flagler Hotel after working in a local sawmill, railyard, and shipyard as a mechanic. Known for its excellent coffee shop and cocktail lounge, a few years after purchasing the Flagler in 1920, Kloeppel renamed the property Hotel Jefferson.
This building was in the heart of the LaVilla neighborhood which was known as the "Harlem of the South". The neighborhood was a thriving center for the African American community with a number of theaters which routinely hosted such artists as Ma Rainey, Billie Holiday and many others.
It's a shame but this is that same corner today:
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INTERESTING SIDE NOTE
Receiver Mark on the front of the JAX to CHI card.
Seldom seen.
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Erniejax said, “I really like this cover. Two copies of Scott 723 tied by Jacksonville circular cancel on January 28, 1937. I'm a little confused on the rate though. I read that the domestic airmail rate in 1937 was 6 cents for 2 oz.”
I’ve always considered postal rates to be little more than rough guides. Not a few times I’ve added more postage than was probably necessary to letters just to save the time it would take to check the correct rate for the envelope or package in question at the post office. My wife does that, and I bet some of you do it too.
I just don’t care if the stamps franking a cover in my collection over-or under-paid the rate required at the time of posting. Exceptions that I might collect could indicate carelessness on the part of a postal clerk (a half-cent Martha Washington stamp franking a first-class letter) or philatelic usage (a $1 Bluenose franking a postcard).
Bob
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Here's a town cancel that you don't see every day, Orange Park in Clay County. Orange Park sits on the west bank of the St. John's River. This is also the town in which I live.
In 1813 Orange Park was known as Laurel Grove and found itself at the center of the Patriot's Rebellion. President Monroe basically hatched a secret plan to foment a rebellion of settlers against the Spanish so that he could then move in and claim all of East Florida for the United States.
Not unlike the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Monroe got cold feet and the rebellion fizzled. Most don't know of the chaotic history here. From townoforangepark.com:
"As a young United States began to grow, it flexed its’ military muscle along the Spanish border which was also the Georgia frontier. By a secret act passed by the U.S. Congress, President Monroe was authorized to bring Spanish Florida under United States control. By the summer of 1813, General Matthews, using volunteers and the Georgia Militia, invaded Spanish East Florida which triggered the “Patriots Rebellion”. Reluctant at first, Kingsley and other wealthy planters along the St. Johns River joined the short lived revolt against Spanish authority. Several weeks later, Matthews and his volunteers vacated East Florida and Laurel Grove Laurel Grove was burned to the ground."
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Ernie,
" Two copies of Scott 723 tied by Jacksonville circular cancel on January 28, 1937. I'm a little confused on the rate though. I read that the domestic airmail rate in 1937 was 6 cents for 2 oz."
the simplicity of that cover makes it all the better. I don't see lots of the 6c Garfield, most people seemingly preferring an airmail stamp; I see very few double rates. THAT cover is a keeper.
As to the rates in '37, it was 6c per ounce (i know that by heart, but allowed my OCD to have me double check the double rate in Tony's rate book).
David
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Nice covers!
Tony's rate book?
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Ari,
Two great cover collectors, Henry Beecher and Tony Wawrukiewicz published several editions each of the International and the Domestic US postal rates. Beecher has been gone for at least a decade and Tony died last year. Lots of folks do various aspects of US rates, but these two did it all.
for US cover collectors who want to understand the rates, they are indispensable reference works
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@Bobstamp and David,
Thank you both for weighing in on my question regarding the rate on the double Garfield cover. Bob, yeah, It does seem likes rates and usages are all over the board. Some are underpaid, some are over paid and yet they all get delivered.
David, thank you for clearing that up. So I guess its not overpaid. Now it makes sense. I'm glad you like that one. I did too! Hope you have a nice Labor Day weekend.
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A nice trio of town cancels from the municipalities of Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach. In 1968, the voters of Duval County and the City of Jacksonville, Florida approved a consolidation that merged the two governments into one entity. This created the largest city in the continental United States by land area, spanning over 874 square miles.
Four communities, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Baldwin, voted to retain their separate municipal governments and opted out of the consolidation.
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I've been picking up postal history items from around here. This showed up today and I love it! It depicts what's known here as the "Treaty Oak". It's one of the biggest Live Oaks in the country. It gets its name from the legend that there was a treaty signed with the Indians in the shade under the tree (that's pretty much known as false these days). Too bad the postmark got skinned off but you can still tell it was there.
This tree was a monster 100 years ago and it's still a monster today! The postcard says "So. Jacksonville, Fla.", but it's just on the south bank of the St. Johns River, a far cry from what we would consider "South Jacksonville" today. I drove close by there for work today and I jumped out and snapped a pic. I have admired this tree many times and was thrilled to see this postcard come up.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Very Cool WW2 Patriotic cover From July of 1943. The allies had just invaded Italy and the battle for Kursk was raging on the eastern front. This guy looks more like a WW1 Doughboy to me though.
and 81 years later PFC Barwicki's boyhood home is still standing!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
That helmet is first war issue, but it was still in use in 1941. The M1917 helmet was replaced in 1942 by the M1 steel pot. The rifle, however, looks more like a Garand M1 than the M1903 Springfield
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
David,
Thanks for sharing this. I thought that the transition happened much earlier closer to the previous WW.
Read an interesting article that touches on this topic showing Marines on their way to the Pacific theater:
https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/online_books/npswapa/extcontent/usmc/pcn-190-003115-00/sec4.htm
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
I don't think Bill liked it here. Haha
Memorial Park is cherished here in Jacksonville. It's a beautiful place with mature landscaping right on the river.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Pleasing cover. I love the green penmanship and the way it compliments the printed envelope and three Scott 839s.
I'm thinking whoever mailed this purposefully bought the green stamps (when they could have easily bought the 3c) and used the green pen because they liked the way it looked too.
I searched high and low and could not find anything about 226 Hogan St. I'm not sure but I think it was demolished to build the Skyway.
The Vowettes were advertisers in the Jacksonville Jewish Center Yearbook, and they were stamp dealers!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
from Tourist trade: In 19th-century Jax, souvenirs ranged from the usual to the unusual Georgia Pribanic, The Florida Times-Union, August 27, 2022
"After the disruption and destruction of the Civil War, the following years in Jacksonville were a time of rebuilding. The population exploded, new buildings were erected and expanded, new businesses opened and transportation from the North improved. This economic recovery was aided by the flow of tourists from the North escaping the harsh winters.
In addition, articles in Harper’s Weekly and other publications extolled the virtues, the beauty of this exotic location and the unique animals such as alligators.
Of course, health benefits of the Sunshine State were also an extremely attractive argument. Come to Florida and be cured of consumption (also known as tuberculosis) — while not mentioning the various fevers, infections and diseases that could kill. All these elements combined into a public relations campaign that resulted in a thriving tourist industry.
Grand hotels awaited the arrival of these wealthy visitors who had the money and time to explore and reside temporarily in our area. The most elegant was the St. James Hotel, which was the largest in the South, open for guests from December to May. A photo of the St. James was part of an ad in the March 1888 issue of New England Magazine with the expected marketing hyperbole used to entice tourists:
“Unsurpassed in elegance of appointments, embracing a spacious dining room lighted by electric lights; Rooms en-suite with baths; Billiard Parlor lighted by electricity; Electric bells throughout the Hotel; Steam heat; Elevator and a Fine orchestra.”
This centrally located hotel located on the highest ground in the area faced the St. James Park (now James Weldon Johnson Park). What more could a tourist want? It was a well-known destination not only nationally but internationally. The register listed the names of many famous people that once stayed there, with a sprinkle of dukes, counts and lesser personalities.
According to Davis, a typical day began with breakfast, followed by shopping after 10 a.m. Bay Street was the hub of activity where well-dressed visitors explored the various curio shops and stores. This was repeated from 3 to 5 p.m. Then the evening festivities were transferred to the hotels with music supplied by various orchestras and bands.
Osky’s Curio Store was one of the largest companies to sell unusual trophies. They began in 1884 and were located on Bay Street until 1955. Their selection was unique and covered many types of items, often with alligator themes. Alligator teeth were used to make jewelry items while canes, spoons, corkscrews, cigarette holders and ink pens were typically engraved with alligator motifs.
One of the most unusual items was an alligator coin purse. In fact, if you tour the Merrill House Museum, an example can be found on the second floor.
An alligator coin purse was small and easily portable, so ladies could purchase one and, returning home, impress her friends with this curio from an exotic animal. This practice was eclipsed later by more fancy and elegant souvenirs, especially after 1890. Poaching of the alligator was eventually outlawed when the reptile faced possible extinction."
Georgia Pribanic, librarian, Jacksonville Historical Society
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Battle of Ocean Pond
On February 20, 1864 the largest and most significant action of the American Civil war in Florida occurred at Ocean Pond in Baker County about 45 miles from my house.
About 5,000 Union troops under General Truman Seymore were threatening to open up the interior of Florida and Georgia to a "Sherman-like" march through one or both states.
The outnumbered Confederates dug in at the most defensible spot, a small section of land near the train tracks (still there) wedged between two swampy areas.
Help arrived as General Alfred Holt Colquitt marched his brigade down from Georgia bolstering the Confederate ranks. The yankees were thoroughly repulsed and nearly routed as General Colquitt came to be remembered as the "Hero of the Battle of Ocean Pond".
The interior of Florida was never invaded and Tallahassee was the only Confederate Capital in the east to not fall to the Union armies.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
This is the earliest example I could find with a nice, bold 1912 Saint Augustine cancel. We love this place. One of our favorite places to take out-of-town guests. The sender wrote "hot here. about 90 in the middle of the day." He must have been from Michigan because 90 in late March is not uncommon at all.
This is a special place to us. We're members of the Lighthouse Society and they have special events where you can go up during a full moon.
A picture I took from the nature trail that goes around the lighthouse:
My girl from atop the observation deck:
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08:07:52am
re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
One of my favorite places in the world as well. The view from the top of the lighthouse in the winter is spectacular!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
The Lighthouse card was published by the H & W. B. Drew Co. of Jacksonville, Florida.
The corporate remnants of this company survive to this day as Wells & Drew and they have offices here in Jacksonville and in south Florida:
https://wellsdrew.com/about-us/
This is their original building that burned down in the Great Fire of 1901. Remember the Great Fire, it will come up again in a future post! Ciao Kids!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
a look at Jacksonville Postal History would not be complete without this card. The Cohen Brothers' first store was in a building made of logs on Bay Street opened not too long after the Civil War.
After the Great Fire of 1901, a young New York architect read about the devastation in the New York Times and sensed an opportunity. Henry John Klutho was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright and became a leading "Prairie School" Architect. Klutho designed dozens of upscale homes, apartments and commercial buildings all around the City of Jacksonville.
The St. James Building on Duval Street became his crowning achievement. The City purchased the building in 1993 and it is now Jacksonville City Hall. The building is magnificent.
IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: Look at the postmark, Penney Farms, Florida which is 17 miles from my house in Clay County. Penney Farms was founded by another department store magnate, none other than Mr. James Cash Penney. Here is a statue of Mr. Penney in front of the Town Hall.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Ladies and Gentlemen,
This cover has alot going for it:
Tobacciana items are always in demand. Right up there with the other big ones Militaria and Breweriana. this one is clean, sharp, colorful, pre-WW2 and printed on two sides; SOLD.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Another card by the H & W.B. Drew Co. This one has a Military Branch cancel. I couldn't find anything on this type of cancel. Would like to know more about it if someone knows.
This card features the Florida National Bank Building, the Florida Life Insurance Building and the Bisbee Building. All three were built after the Great Fire of 1901 with the later two having been designed by Henry John Klutho.
All three buildings are still standing and they have come be known as the "Laura Street Trio". They have been unoccupied and have sit derelict for years with repeated, failed attempts to have them renovated. Just this week it was in the news that negotiations between the city and developers broke down with each side accusing the other of negotiating in bad faith:
https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2024 ...
They were going to turn the buildings into a 4 star hotel, 170 luxury apartments and spaces for high-end dining and bars. The last picture shows what they look like today. I sure wish they would save these beautiful buildings.
By LoneStarMike - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11174680:
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08:19:09am
re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Unfortunately, the cost of bringing old buildings up to current codes is astronomical. Old bank buildings seem to be particularly hard to repurpose as most towns in central Florida have one or two sitting empty.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Hey Joe, thanks for the comment.
Yeah, they were talking about a $188 MILLION price tag. .... and so they continue to sit.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Today we're taking a look at Jacksonville's long history of Naval Aviation. Naval Air Station Jacksonville is 3 miles from my house.
I THINK these are Vought SB2U Vindicators. These would have been carrier based dive bombers. The first monoplanes developed for this role. I think the paint scheme means these are in a training squadron which would have made sense for NAS JAX.
I love the message on this card. "Buzz" Shaffer tells "Kitty and the boys" that he's "feeling fine" and that he hopes to be "home for Christmas". I know some of ya'll are really good with deciphering images. Would love for someone to be able to tell me what year this was cancelled.
Found the original black and white photograph:
IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE:
NAS JAX just so happens to be the birthplace of The Blue Angels, the US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron.
from flyjacksonville.com:
"In 1946, Lt. Cmdr. Roy “Butch” Voris organized the formation of a flight
demonstration team to keep the public interested in naval aviation. The Blue
Angels performed for the first time in June 1946 at their home base, Naval Air
Station Jacksonville. In August 1946, they switched from flying the Grumman
F6F Hellcat to the Grumman F8F Bearcat and introduced the famous diamond
formation."
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
This is the Jacksonville Union Train Terminal built in 1919. It was for a long time the busiest train station in the south servicing over 100 trains a day. Postmarked March 16, 1932
Today it's the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center and they also host weddings there.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Camp Blanding is in Clay County and is about a 15-minute drive from my house. The base was federalized in 1940 and served as a huge training base during WW2. They even used part of the base to house German POWs. I think this card is neat because it was mailed by a female Lt. in the Army Nurse Corps.
The base is named after distinguished Floridian General Albert Hazen Blanding. Blanding was on the mission to capture Pancho Villa and later served in WW1. They've got a great museum on the base with Gen. Blanding's .45 on display.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Scott 1011 (3c Mount Rushmore) and Scott 1013 (3c Service Women) tied by duplex cancels. Jacksonville, Florida Jan. 2, 1953 West Bay St. Station. I think this one is underpaid by 1 cent.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Erniejax — You are living my dream!
I sometimes fantasize a different life for me, one in which I remain in my hometown, Silver City, New Mexico, stay in journalism, and become a locally respected, expert amateur historian. I would study the area’s history (Anasazi culture and history, the Spanish Conquest, the Indian Wars, gunfighters and gunfights — Billy the Kid lived committed his first crime there — local mining history, forestry, wildfires, floods, and even disease; my paternal grandparents were the first Ingrahams to move to New Mexico in hopes that the dry, warm climate would cure my grandmother’s TB. She lived another 50 years, but probably not because of a different climate.
I would also look into the history of aviation, railroads, and the local National Guard unit, which was captured in entirety by the Japanese at Corregidor, and maybe even local personalities like Senator Jeff Bingaman (a classmate of mine) and Harrison Schmidt, the last American astronaut, IIRC, to ride the Moon Buggy on the moon.
To learn more, click on the link below to my Ephemeral Treasures website, and then scroll down to my New Mexico section.
Bob
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Bob,
I LOVE IT! Thank you so much for the comment. I sometimes wonder if people on here even read these. I am having so much fun and learning alot about the history of the city and surrounding areas.
Dude, I need to check out the website. So much history in that area just from what you've mentioned here. I drove through New Mexico once and I really want to get back there.
Thanks again Bob. Hope you have a Happy New Year.
Ernie
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Back when I had a bunch! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
31 Dec 2024
12:33:40pm
re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
"I sometimes wonder if people on here even read these"
Sorry, a bit off topic, but I wonder as well! I've had a couple sellers message me asking if the postal strike is over yet so they can send out the items. I always assumed most people here read these posts but obviously I am wrong. To me it's the reason I joined the site and enjoy this part very much. Unless I get blasted for saying something real stupid! That's happened a few times!!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Thanks Ernie!
I love a good bit of hometown history myself!
You have to go to the Treaty Oak to see it for sure!
That thing is HUGE!
Happy New Year!
-Ari
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
@Harvey, Happy New Year!
@Ari, got your message re: the JAX Stamp Club. Would love to get to the auction Tuesday but I'm traveling for work. Will definitely connect with you soon.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Ernie,
I love history too. Being from philadelphia I grew up with history all around me, my favorite subject in school. Philly postal history is one of my collecting interest.
I have had an interest in bellefonte history since we started visiting here. This is a town filled with history, another area I collect. I found an interesting letter concerning a runaway slave in bellefonte on eBay. I didn’t win it but did scan it for my collection. I’ll start a thread later tonight for bellefonte and post it.
Vince
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
This is the old Carnegie Library building located at 101 E. Adams St. The building was erected in 1905 and designed by yes, you guessed it, our favorite architect, Mr. Henry John Klutho. You'll notice that the architecture lands squarely in the neoclassical which was clearly not what Klutho was wanting to do at the time. I read that Carnegie's personal secretary managed the funding of each library project and that the physical architecture and layout was carefully reviewed. Carnegie libraries were almost always of this neoclassical design seen here.
The whole story of Carnegie libraries is fascinating. From Wikipedia: "In 1992, the New York Times reported that, according to a survey conducted by George Bobinski, dean of the School of Information and Library Studies at the State University at Buffalo, 1,554 of the 1,681 original Carnegie library buildings in the United States still existed, and 911 were still used as libraries. He found that 276 were unchanged, 286 had been expanded, 175 had been remodeled, 243 had been demolished, and others had been converted to other uses."
"While hundreds of the library buildings have been adapted for use as museums, community centers, office buildings, residences, or other uses, more than half of those in the United States still serve their communities as libraries over a century after their construction. Many are located in what are now middle- to low-income neighborhoods. For example, Carnegie libraries still form the nucleus of the New York Public Library system in New York City, with 31 of the original 39 buildings still in operation; Carnegie Libraries operate in all 5 Boroughs of New York City across its three library systems."
The building is still in use today and since 1984 has been home to the Bedell Law Firm which is the oldest law firm in Florida having been founded in Jacksonville in 1865.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Perfect strike on this Saint Augustine duplex cancel from March 29, 1913.
The Spanish started building the Castillo de San Marcos 1n 1672. The fort was in military operation under the Spanish (twice), British, Confederates and the United States.
Three days after Florida succeeded from the Union a group of Confederate soldiers came and demanded that the small contingent of Union soldiers surrender the fort. The Union Sgt. in charge demanded that the Confederates "give him a receipt" for all of the military equipment on hand. The Confederates were so impressed with his spirit that they took up a collection amongst themselves to pay his passage back to his hometown of Philadelphia.
The United States decommissioned Fort Marion 1n 1900 after it had seen operation for over 200 years under 5 flags.
We love to stop in walk the grounds and get up on the gun platform on a nice day.
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06:07:25pm
re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
One of my favorite places to go. At the southern end of Anastasia island is a much smaller fort, Fort Matanzas, which protected the city from attackers from the south. The French lost a bloody battle there. Today, it is a national monument and free to visit and tour.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
@joesm, yep. "Matanzas" means "massacres". The Spaniards put over 100 Frenchman to the sword right on the beach. The whole area is a reminder of much different time.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
This is one of my favorites. I hope Michael Numbers sees this because I know he loves trains.
The Orange Blossom Special ran during the winter months from 1925 through 1953. The line ran New York City to Miami with stops in Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale, Winter Haven, Tampa, St. Pete, Orlando, Gainesville and Tallahassee. This train represents the pinnacle and Golden Age of rail travel in America.
The "Streamliners" took over with their names like Zephyr, Meteor, and Comet with their powerful diesel electric locomotives and with sleek Art Deco Styling. These babies were FAST and COMFORTABLE. These trains had all the luxuries, Club Car, Dining Car and fully stocked Lounge Car. You could have a couple of drinks and maybe get in on a card game. Yep, you just sat back and glided through the orange groves. All the Pullman cars were fully air-conditioned.
When you saw this beauty all decked out in citrus colors pulling up to the station it was a BIG DEAL.
The Man-in-Black, Mr. Johnny Cash sang it best:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPSiK5dC ...
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Another neat card from Camp Blanding posted November 24, 1942. I wonder what this guy was thinking as he must have known he was going straight to the front in Europe in a conflict that had absolutely nothing to do with him. Well, Stalingrad had just happened that summer so maybe they were somewhat more optimistic thinking the aura of German invincibility had been shattered. Midway had just happened also. There was still so much fighting and dying yet to be done but maybe he was optimistic. I wonder what unit this guy ended up in. the 1st, 29th, 43rd and 79th Infantry Divisions all landed at D-Day and all of them trained at Camp Blanding. The 1st and the 29th saw the bloodiest action right on Omaha Beach. He wanted his cigarette lighter and a camera!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
a bit beat up but a nice card postmarked February 10, 1912 from Saint Augustine, Florida to Horseheads, New York. Shows the old city Gates to Saint Augustine built in 1808.
Some years ago I was walking through an antique shop in Jacksonville and saw this print of a pen and ink drawing of the gates. Nothing too special, a mass produced souvenir from the 60s I'm guessing. I liked it because it was nicely matted and framed. I thought they wanted too much for it ($20 I think it was). I told my wife about it over a dinner I think. She didn't tell me she was going to do it but I few days later I noticed it hanging on the wall in our dining room. She had gone down and picked it up!
A pic I snapped of one of our friends visiting from New York
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Kind of ironic. Roy just posted about the "football cancels" and this one shows up. Jacksonville, Florida to Boothbay, Maine Scott # 213 tied with CDS "football cancel" April 8th, 1888, receiving mark on the back. There isn't much in Boothbay today; it would have been a very, remote and out of the way place in 1888.
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Back when I had a bunch! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
28 Feb 2025
06:32:33pm
re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
If you ever run into it there is an amazing precancel of the 2 cent black Harding for Jacksonville, Florida done in a gorgeous shade of red. I'm positive it's legit since it's mentioned in Gunesch's book on precancels in the section on coloured precancels along with two others that I've managed to find. If I didn't like it so much and if I didn't collect precancels of the 2 cent Hardings and if I didn't collect coloured precancels I would send it off to you!! Maybe someday!!
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Back when I had a bunch! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
02 Mar 2025
06:35:59pm
re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Here are the pictures of a couple red precancels, one from Jacksonville and a nice precanceled postage due from Jacksonville! Nice items, especially the red ones!! I collect precancels on the black 2 cent Hardings. I'm trying to get one per state but have only got about half, some are very hard to find!!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Scott # 804 tied to card by February 3, 1948 Jacksonville, Florida cancel. "Hold that Gator,"
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
This is another fascinating card from Camp Blanding postmarked December 21, 1943 to Peekskill, New York.
This was from Private John "Bab" Babchak, one of "The Greatest Generation". 1943 was the height of the U.S. military draft with over 3.3 million young men being conscripted for military service, the most of any year in U.S. history.
From the handwriting and what he has written, to me, he sounds like just a kid.
I found him on the 1950 census!
By 1950, "Bab" was 24 and it looks like he made it back home to Westchester County. He was unmarried and the census shows that he was "OT" (other) in the column, "what has this person been doing?". He was probably in college on the GI bill.
According to the census, the Babchak's fostered two children, siblings Frederick and Cynthia Silva. They had a nice big house for it which is still there at 856 Paulding Ave.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
This card was mailed from Jacksonville, Florida to the little village of Albion, New York (outside of Rochester) March 28th, 1961.
Exodus with Paul Newman and Eva Marie Saint was the top movie on the big screen and Elvis Presley ruled the US charts with his # 1 hit Surrender and held the # 1 spot in the UK with Wooden Heart.
These were much different times, in some ways better, in some ways not.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Interesting postcard postmarked June 27th, 1907 from Jacksonville, Florida to Brevard, North Carolina. Brevard is in Transylvania County in an extremely rural area on the Tennessee border smack dab in the middle of the Smokey Mountains.
The sender references a "tent meeting" that they're having in the middle of Main St.; he was probably an itinerant preacher or evangelist. He tells "Miss Duckworth" that he'll "be there 1st Sunday in July". I bet he liked Miss Duckworth and was trying to court her.
One thing I can't figure out is his postscript. Elsom? Does anyone know what was written there?
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Back when I had a bunch! I think, therefore I am - I think! Descartes, sort of!
18 Apr 2025
05:39:25pm
re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Ernie, just wondering if you collect all postcards from Jacksonville and if you do how many you have. A friend collects all postcards from the little rinky-dink county we were born in and has over 1200! How many would a large city like Jacksonville have?
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Is it possible that the " P. S. Elsom??" is the senders initials and surname?
And not "Post Script"?
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Hi Harvey,
Good evening! I don't collect all. I keep my eyes open for unusual items or places that I know of or have some personal connection. It's been fun. I keep looking for true "covers" but not a lot come up. Most are just few bucks and I only collect postally used.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
"Is it possible that the " P. S. Elsom??" is the senders initials and surname?
And not "Post Script"?"
MikeL, very interesting! That's absolutely a possibility and that never crossed my mind. I need to try to search that as a name.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
MikeL,
You nailed it. I found him. It was actually a "G" and not an "S". The card was sent from Reverend Percy G. Elsom. Found him in an old directory.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Hi Ernie,
Here is a link for a book with Jacksonville postcards.
Arcadia publishing has hundreds of books on local histories, many are illustrations of postcards. I have several dozen.
https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/produc ...
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Nice recommendation Vince. Thank you. I see one on eBay right now for $5 and free shipping!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
A great postcard dated May, 1st 1922. The sender says, "Dear Momma, I had no idea this was such a wonderful city.."
Located at 219 N. Newnan St. in downtown Jacksonville, this building was once the headquarters of the Morocco Shriners International. Designed by our favorite architect, John Henry Klutho, and built in 1910, this work fully displays Klutho's interpretation of the the Prairie School of archecture and is probably Klutho's most striking example of why he is known as a Frank Lloyd Wright disciple.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Unity Temple in Oak Park, IL was completed just a year earlier:
Today, the building is home to the 87 year old Cecil W. Powell Insurance Company. If you look real closely at the postcard you can just make out the two magnificent Sphinx figures who flank each side of the main entrance!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
"Let's Go! U.S.A. Stamp 'em Out!"
Another Barwicki cover. I posted one last September where he addresses himself as P.F.C. it was cancelled July 9, 1943. So by January 20 of the following year he had picked up Corporal.
Hindsight is always perfect but in January of 1944 D-Day was still 6 months away and the war was far from over and the outcome was still very much in question. On January 20, 1944 units of the 36th Calvary Division launched an operation on the Italian Front that would come to be known as the Battle of Rapido River. It was an utter disaster and one of the worst American losses of WW2.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
I love my U.S. used singles collection but more and more I feel the pull toward what may be my true love... postal history. Here for your consideration is a beautiful cover, still somewhat straight and bright. Sent from Jacksonville, Florida on September 22nd, 1941 to the incredibly beautiful area of Great Falls, Montana.
This was sent with no return address and to a Ms. Rae Jeanne Berube of the Columbus School of Nursing. Was it an application for acceptance? Why Jacksonville to a nursing school in Montana?
I've also included a picture from the school's graduating class in 1941.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
I really like this cover. Two copies of Scott 723 tied by Jacksonville circular cancel on January 28, 1937. I'm a little confused on the rate though. I read that the domestic airmail rate in 1937 was 6 cents for 2 oz.
At this time, the West Bay Annex was a huge facility and handled up to 80% of the mail coming into the state of Florida. The West Bay Annex was in the heart of the LaVilla neighborhood which was once called the "Harlem of the South". More on LaVilla soon!
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Two fascinating postcards showing the same building 34 years apart. The first card is from 1913 showing what was then the Hotel Flagler, built in 1910, on the NW corner of Adams and Davis Streets. This hotel was just a few blocks from the busiest train station in the south at that time. Dad says, "Momma arrived safe and be a good boy and feed my chickens...". Postmarked March 4th in Jacksonville on its way to Huntington, West Virginia.
In this second card, you can see that the fire escapes have been taken down and that the building was painted white as part of a big renovation. From thejaxsonmag.com:
Catering to nearby railroad terminal passengers, the 125-room Hotel Flagler was located at the northwest corner of West Adams and Davis streets. The Hotel Flagler was the first hotel owned by hotel magnate Robert Kloeppel, Sr. Kloeppel was a penniless German immigrant who spoke little English when he arrived in America in 1905. Relocating to Jacksonville a year later, he eventually become an attorney who opened a law office in the Flagler Hotel after working in a local sawmill, railyard, and shipyard as a mechanic. Known for its excellent coffee shop and cocktail lounge, a few years after purchasing the Flagler in 1920, Kloeppel renamed the property Hotel Jefferson.
This building was in the heart of the LaVilla neighborhood which was known as the "Harlem of the South". The neighborhood was a thriving center for the African American community with a number of theaters which routinely hosted such artists as Ma Rainey, Billie Holiday and many others.
It's a shame but this is that same corner today:
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
INTERESTING SIDE NOTE
Receiver Mark on the front of the JAX to CHI card.
Seldom seen.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Erniejax said, “I really like this cover. Two copies of Scott 723 tied by Jacksonville circular cancel on January 28, 1937. I'm a little confused on the rate though. I read that the domestic airmail rate in 1937 was 6 cents for 2 oz.”
I’ve always considered postal rates to be little more than rough guides. Not a few times I’ve added more postage than was probably necessary to letters just to save the time it would take to check the correct rate for the envelope or package in question at the post office. My wife does that, and I bet some of you do it too.
I just don’t care if the stamps franking a cover in my collection over-or under-paid the rate required at the time of posting. Exceptions that I might collect could indicate carelessness on the part of a postal clerk (a half-cent Martha Washington stamp franking a first-class letter) or philatelic usage (a $1 Bluenose franking a postcard).
Bob
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Here's a town cancel that you don't see every day, Orange Park in Clay County. Orange Park sits on the west bank of the St. John's River. This is also the town in which I live.
In 1813 Orange Park was known as Laurel Grove and found itself at the center of the Patriot's Rebellion. President Monroe basically hatched a secret plan to foment a rebellion of settlers against the Spanish so that he could then move in and claim all of East Florida for the United States.
Not unlike the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Monroe got cold feet and the rebellion fizzled. Most don't know of the chaotic history here. From townoforangepark.com:
"As a young United States began to grow, it flexed its’ military muscle along the Spanish border which was also the Georgia frontier. By a secret act passed by the U.S. Congress, President Monroe was authorized to bring Spanish Florida under United States control. By the summer of 1813, General Matthews, using volunteers and the Georgia Militia, invaded Spanish East Florida which triggered the “Patriots Rebellion”. Reluctant at first, Kingsley and other wealthy planters along the St. Johns River joined the short lived revolt against Spanish authority. Several weeks later, Matthews and his volunteers vacated East Florida and Laurel Grove Laurel Grove was burned to the ground."
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Ernie,
" Two copies of Scott 723 tied by Jacksonville circular cancel on January 28, 1937. I'm a little confused on the rate though. I read that the domestic airmail rate in 1937 was 6 cents for 2 oz."
the simplicity of that cover makes it all the better. I don't see lots of the 6c Garfield, most people seemingly preferring an airmail stamp; I see very few double rates. THAT cover is a keeper.
As to the rates in '37, it was 6c per ounce (i know that by heart, but allowed my OCD to have me double check the double rate in Tony's rate book).
David
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Nice covers!
Tony's rate book?
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
Ari,
Two great cover collectors, Henry Beecher and Tony Wawrukiewicz published several editions each of the International and the Domestic US postal rates. Beecher has been gone for at least a decade and Tony died last year. Lots of folks do various aspects of US rates, but these two did it all.
for US cover collectors who want to understand the rates, they are indispensable reference works
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
@Bobstamp and David,
Thank you both for weighing in on my question regarding the rate on the double Garfield cover. Bob, yeah, It does seem likes rates and usages are all over the board. Some are underpaid, some are over paid and yet they all get delivered.
David, thank you for clearing that up. So I guess its not overpaid. Now it makes sense. I'm glad you like that one. I did too! Hope you have a nice Labor Day weekend.
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re: Postal History of Jacksonville, Florida and Surrounding Areas
A nice trio of town cancels from the municipalities of Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach. In 1968, the voters of Duval County and the City of Jacksonville, Florida approved a consolidation that merged the two governments into one entity. This created the largest city in the continental United States by land area, spanning over 874 square miles.
Four communities, Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Baldwin, voted to retain their separate municipal governments and opted out of the consolidation.
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