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| 1012 - The map and the flag of State of Texas |
Posted on 23.02.2014, 22.04.2014, and 15.03.2015
Located in the Gulf of Mexico, at the border with Mexico, between New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, Texas is the second most populous (after California) and the second-largest of the 50 states (after Alaska) of the United States. In Pre-Columbian period, in the area were developed three major indigenous cultures, which reached their developmental peak before the first European contact: the Pueblo, the Mississippian culture, and the civilizations of Mesoamerica. In 1528, after the arrival of Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca, "half the natives died from a disease of the bowels". During the next 150 years Europeans have ignored the area, then occupied by French (1684-1689), Spanish (1690-1821), and Mexican (1821-1836). Becoming republic after the Declarationof Independence in 1836, it was admitted to the Union as the 28th state in 1845, and during the Civil War joined the ConfederateStates.
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| 1488 - The flag of State of Texas |
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Although Texas is popularly associated with the Southwestern deserts, less than 10 percent of its land area is desert. Almost twice as large as Germany, Texas has four major physical regions: GulfCoastal Plains (covered by thick piney woods), Interior Lowlands, Great Plains (dominated by prairie and steppe), and Basin and Range Province. Most of the population centers are located in areas of former prairies, grasslands, forests, and the coastline. Three of its borders are defined by rivers: Rio Grande (with Mexico), Red River (with Oklahoma and Arkansas), and Sabine River (with Louisiana). Its large size and its location at the intersection of multiple climate zones gives it highly variable weather. Some of the most destructive hurricanes in U.S. history have impacted Texas.
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| 1062 - The flag and the symbols of State of Texas |
Texas's large population, abundance of natural resources, thriving cities and leading centers of higher education have contributed to a large and diverse economy, even if since the discovery of the oil, the state's economy has reflected the state of the petroleum industry. In 2010, there were 346,000 millionaires in Texas, which has the second highest gross state product (GSP) in the U.S., comparable to the GDP of India or Canada. Its largest city is Houston, the fourth-largest in the U.S., but the state capital is Austin. The origin of the state name is from the word tejas, which means 'friends' in the Caddo language. It is nicknamed the Lone Star State, to signify it as a former independent republic and as a reminder of the state's struggle for independence from Mexico.
The flag of the state, adopted in 1839, is a rectangle that has a width to length ratio of two to three and contains one blue vertical stripe that has a width equal to one-third the length of the flag, two equal horizontal stripes, white and red, and one white, regular five-pointed star (the Lone Star) located in the center of the blue stripe, oriented so that one point faces upward. The blue symbolise loyalty, the white purity, and the red bravery. The seal of the state was adopted in 1845, and consists of a star of five points, encircled by olive and live oak branches, and the words, "The State of Texas." The state bird is Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos), the three - Pecan (Carya illinoinensis), and the flower - Bluebonnet (Lupinus sp.).
About the stamps
On the postcard 1012
About the first stamp, featuring a portrait of George Washington, I wrote here.
The next two stamps are part of the commemorative series Go Green, issued to celebrate Earth Day 2011. Each of the 16 "Forever" stamps features an eco-tip with an illustration showing simple things any of us can do each day to reduce our environmental footprint:
• Buy local produce reuse bags
• Fix water leaks - It's on the postcard 2067
• Share rides - It's on the postcard 2067
• Turn off lights not in use - It's on the postcard 2113
• Choose the walk - It's on the postcard 2067
• Reduce our enviromental footprint usa - It's on the postcard 1454
• Compost - It's on the postcard 1012
• Let nature do the work
• Recycle more
• Ride a bike - It's on the postcard 1440
• Plant trees - It's on the postcard 2373
• Insulate the home - It's on the postcard 1012
• Use public transportation - It's on the postcard 2105
• Use efficient light bulbs - It's on the postcard 2067
• Adjust the thermostat - It's on the postcard 2113
• Maintain tire pressure - It's on the postcard 2809
On the postcard 1488
Four of the stamps are part of the series Crops of the Americas, issued on March 16, 2006. Artist Steve Buchanan created each of the five stamp designs (all with the same face value, 39 ¢). As reference, he used slide photographs made by his wife Rita Buchanan's research in the late 1970s on indigenous agricultural methods in the southwestern United States. The crops depicted in the stamps had been cultivated in the Americas for centuries when Europeans first arrived in the New World:
• corn - it's on the postcard
• chili peppers
• beans - it's on the postcard
• squashes - it's on the postcard
• sunflowers - it's on the postcard
Another stamp, depicting a Navajo jewelry (2c), is part of the definitives series American Design (2002-2007), about which I wrote here.
Bringing a contemporary vibe to the traditional red, white, and blue, $1 Patriotic Wave is one of two similarly designed high-denomination stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service® in 2015, on January 12. The other stamp is denominated at the $2 price. Designer Michael Dyer worked with art director Antonio Alcalá to create this stamp.
The last stamp, depicting the state bird and the state flower of Texas, is part of the series State Birds & Flowers, issued on April 14, 1982:
• Alabama - It's on the postcard 2250
• Alaska - It's on the postcard 1968
• Arizona - It's on the postcard 2169
• California - It's on the postcard 2067
• Colorado - It's on the postcard 2204
• Hawaii - It's on the postcard 2170
• Louisiana - It's on the postcard 1653
• New Mexico - It's on the postcard 1789
• North Carolina - It's on the postcard 2196
• South Carolina - It's on the postcard 2229
• South Dakota - It's on the postcard 2071
• Texas - It's on the postcard 1488
• Utah - It's on the postcard 2220
• West Virginia - It's on the postcard 2050
• Idaho - It's on the postcard 2292
• Nevada - It's on the postcard 2299
• New York - It's on the postcard 2471
• New Jersey - It's on the postcard 2547
• Wyoming - It's on the postcard 2645
• Fix water leaks - It's on the postcard 2067
• Share rides - It's on the postcard 2067
• Turn off lights not in use - It's on the postcard 2113
• Choose the walk - It's on the postcard 2067
• Reduce our enviromental footprint usa - It's on the postcard 1454
• Compost - It's on the postcard 1012
• Let nature do the work
• Recycle more
• Ride a bike - It's on the postcard 1440
• Plant trees - It's on the postcard 2373
• Insulate the home - It's on the postcard 1012
• Use public transportation - It's on the postcard 2105
• Use efficient light bulbs - It's on the postcard 2067
• Adjust the thermostat - It's on the postcard 2113
• Maintain tire pressure - It's on the postcard 2809
On the postcard 1488
Four of the stamps are part of the series Crops of the Americas, issued on March 16, 2006. Artist Steve Buchanan created each of the five stamp designs (all with the same face value, 39 ¢). As reference, he used slide photographs made by his wife Rita Buchanan's research in the late 1970s on indigenous agricultural methods in the southwestern United States. The crops depicted in the stamps had been cultivated in the Americas for centuries when Europeans first arrived in the New World:
• corn - it's on the postcard
• chili peppers
• beans - it's on the postcard
• squashes - it's on the postcard
• sunflowers - it's on the postcard
Another stamp, depicting a Navajo jewelry (2c), is part of the definitives series American Design (2002-2007), about which I wrote here.
Bringing a contemporary vibe to the traditional red, white, and blue, $1 Patriotic Wave is one of two similarly designed high-denomination stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service® in 2015, on January 12. The other stamp is denominated at the $2 price. Designer Michael Dyer worked with art director Antonio Alcalá to create this stamp.
The last stamp, depicting the state bird and the state flower of Texas, is part of the series State Birds & Flowers, issued on April 14, 1982:
• Alabama - It's on the postcard 2250
• Alaska - It's on the postcard 1968
• Arizona - It's on the postcard 2169
• California - It's on the postcard 2067
• Colorado - It's on the postcard 2204
• Hawaii - It's on the postcard 2170
• Louisiana - It's on the postcard 1653
• New Mexico - It's on the postcard 1789
• North Carolina - It's on the postcard 2196
• South Carolina - It's on the postcard 2229
• South Dakota - It's on the postcard 2071
• Texas - It's on the postcard 1488
• Utah - It's on the postcard 2220
• West Virginia - It's on the postcard 2050
• Idaho - It's on the postcard 2292
• Nevada - It's on the postcard 2299
• New York - It's on the postcard 2471
• New Jersey - It's on the postcard 2547
• Wyoming - It's on the postcard 2645
On the postcard 1062
The firs two stamp, depicting a Silver Coffeepot (3¢ / 2005) and an American Toleware (5c / 2004), are part of the definitives series American Design (2002-2007), about which I wrote here.
The last two stamp are part of the series A Flag for All Seasons, issued on July 4, 2013, to celebrate the Independence Day of the United States:
• flag on springtime - it's on the postcard
• flag on summertime - it's on the postcard
• flag on autumn - it's on other postcard
• flag on wintertime - it's on other postcard
References
Texas - Wikipedia
Flag of Texas - Wikipedia
Seal of Texas - Wikipedia
Sender 1012: Denise
Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 11.02.2014
Sender 1488: Denise
Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 06.03.2015
Sender 1062: Denise
Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 28.02.2014
Wow! Realy great postcard! :-)
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