January 22, 2012

0104 UNITED STATES (Wisconsin) - A public library for 481 people


Doesn't happen too often to receive a postcard from a settlement with only 481 inhabitants. Actually doesn't ever happened. Behold what writes the sender, named Sandy: "I am the Director at the Coloma Public Library. I suppose you are wondering why a library would be sending postcards, well, our summer reading program was called One World, Many Stories. We decided to showcase the world in writing and postage and people. Our community is very small we have a population of 481 people. We have a glocery store, two gas stations, two pubs/bars, a diner, a laundry mat, elementary school, coffee/ice cream shop, a bank, a car dealership, and many small businesses. We also have a park with a permanent shelter.

Every year our local Lions Club hosts a celebration called Coloma Chicken Chew. It begins on a Friday and continues through the weekend. There are many activities like baseball tournaments, mud volley ball, etc. We also have a quilt show, craft fair and library book sale. Many groups participate in the planning and execution of the event. On Sunday there is a big parade, followed by our famous chicken barbecue." 

The most nice and comprehensive text that I received so far and I don't say this with condescension. Thank you very much, Sandy. Of course that the first thing I did it after the receiving of the postcard was to look on Wikipedia and I found there that are 4 Coloma (one in California, one in Michigan and two in Wisconsin - a town and a village), as well as a Coloma Township in Illinois, a Coloma Charter Township in Michigan and a Santa Coloma in Spain. The one in which lives Sandy is a village in Waushara County, Wisconsin.

Says Wikipedia: "The Coloma area was first settled in 1849 by John Drake and a man named Stowe. Stowe stole lumber Drake left in the area when Drake had to leave due to a family illness. Stowe built a tavern with the timber, leaving Drake to build his tavern out of rough hewn logs. By 1875, the area was known as Ross Corners, after the local postmaster. A railroad between Stevens Point and Portage was soon built, coming through four miles to the east at a spot called Coloma Station. The post office was moved from Ross Corners to Coloma Station, and Ross Corners soon became known as Coloma Corners."  

So one another Wisconsin, the Badger State, located between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River, is the sixth state in the union that joins my collection. Medium both in terms of scope (the 23rd) and population (the 20th) and the gross product states (the 21st), entered the union in 1848, so a year before John Drake to reach the area where will be called Coloma. Probably that many have heard of Milwaukee, its largest city, but only very few know that the state’s capital is Madison. And probably even fewer, including me, are those who know that Wisconsin de jure has no an official language, although of course, de facto this is the english.

About the stamps
The first stamp on the left, a Forever one featuring Edward Hopper’s sailboat painting The Long Leg, is the 10th of the American Treasures series and was issued on August 24, 2011. Inaugurated in 2001 with the Amish Quilts stamp pane, the American Treasures series showcases works of American fine arts and crafts. "What better way for us to celebrate our culture, heritage and history than through the diversity of designs that capture the spirit and creativity of this nation," said Maura Robinson, vice president, Pricing, who dedicated the stamp at the Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum. "The American Treasures series is intended to do just that. And, if someone were ever to be called an American treasure, it would be artist Edward Hopper."


The second stamp is part of the series Send a Hello (Forever), issued on August 19, 2011. Art directors Terrence W. McCaffrey and William J. Gicker worked with Disney•Pixar to design the stamp art featuring popular characters:
• Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars (2006) - it's on other postcard
• Remy the rat and Linguini from Ratatouille (2007) - it's on other postcard
• Buzz Lightyear and two of the green, three-eyed aliens from Toy Story (1995) - it's on the postcard
• Carl Fredricksen and Dug from Up (2009) - it's on other postcard
• The robot WALL•E from WALL•E (2008) - it's on other postcard

"The Send a Hello Forever stamps are a natural outgrowth of the Art of Disney stamp series issued between 2004 and 2008", had to say Disney Consumer Products. "Originally intended as a series of three annual issuances depicting friendship, celebration and romance, the Art of Disney stamps proved so popular that the Postal Service expanded the series to include the issuances in 2007 and 2008 to celebrate imagination and magic." A second set featuring the Disney•Pixar characters was issued on 2012 under the name Mail a Smile

About the third stamp, The American Clock, I wrote here.

Sender: Sandy / Sandy_Z (postcrossing)
Sent from Coloma (Wisconsin / United States), on 17.12.2011

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