Everglades Route First Flight U.S. Commemorative Cover
Object numberMO 1949.129.2.25
Name
Cover, Commemorative
Maker
Unknown
Date1937
Mediumpaper, ink
Dimensionsoverall H 4 1/8 in x W 9 1/2 in (10.5 cm x 24.1 cm )
DescriptionA stamp cover commemorating the 1937 U.S. air mail first flight of the Everglades Route. On the left side of the white air mail envelope is a stamped blue ink cachet consisting of a circular illustration, flanked by wings, of the lower section of Florida with images of a sailboat, fish, bird, and palm trees against a background of water. Text within the cachet reads: ~ UNITED STATES AIR MAIL ~ / EVERGLADES ROUTE AM / ST. PETERSBURG / SARASOTA / FORT MEYERS / MIAMI. Running along the bottom of the cachet is an illustrated “FIRST FLIGHT” banner on which is perched a fisherman and a swimmer. Below the cachet is the original ink signature and typed title of the Sarasota postmaster: L. D. Reagin / Postmaster.
The envelope is addressed to (typed): Honorable Franklin Delano Roosevelt, / White House, / Washington, D. C. In the upper right corner of the envelope is a preprinted U.S. 1934 orange 6¢ Air Mail postage stamp (Scott UC3). The envelope is postmarked Sarasota, Florida, August 4, 1937.
Label TextFranklin Roosevelt was an avid, lifelong stamp collector who gathered over 1.2 million stamps into his personal collection during the course of his life. He began collecting stamps at the age of eight at the suggestion of his mother, Sara Delano Roosevelt, who passed on her collection to him.The envelope is addressed to (typed): Honorable Franklin Delano Roosevelt, / White House, / Washington, D. C. In the upper right corner of the envelope is a preprinted U.S. 1934 orange 6¢ Air Mail postage stamp (Scott UC3). The envelope is postmarked Sarasota, Florida, August 4, 1937.
After FDR's death, his personal stamp collection, including this stamp cover, was sold at public auction in 1946 in accordance with his wishes.
Additional Details
Custodial History NoteLent to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum by Charles M. Abbott in 1949. It was donated as a bequest of Abbott to the Library in 1952.
Credit LineGift of Charles M. Abbott
National Archives Catalog CollectionFranklin D. Roosevelt Library Museum Collection (National Archives Identifier 735948)
National Archives Catalog SeriesStamp Collecting Materials (National Archives Identifier 749938)
Use Restriction StatusUnrestrictedCopyrightReproduction or other use of these holdings or images thereof is unrestricted.Collections
Non exposé