1966 De La Salle

René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, (1643 – 1687) explored the Great Lakes, the Mississipi River and the Gulf of Mexico, claiming the entire Mississippi River basin for France. La Salle's expeditions began in the late 1660s until 1687 . The expeditions led to the establishment of an overland trade route connecting French colonies in Canada with French colonies in Louisiana.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization's website has an excellent article devoted to La Salle, (linked October 21,2010). The Museum's article describes a man of questionable honesty, skills, and leadership abilities. La Salle's last expedition, to found a colony up the Mississipi, ended in his murder at the hands of his own men. A statue of La Salle was erected in Navasota, Texas, where it was believed La Salle was killed.

This excerpt from The Canadian Encyclopedia describes the expedition (linked October 21, 2010):

"Given command of the expedition, he displayed incompetence and paranoia...Most of the expedition's supplies having been lost and the Indians alienated, starvation loomed. In April 1686 La Salle set off with 20 men to seek help at Fort St-Louis-des-Illinois. Dissension in his party and at the base resulted in desertion and murder, and finally in the assassination of La Salle. The wonder is that his men had not killed him long before. A romantic hero to 19th-century historians, La Salle was in fact a victim of his own incapacities."

Canada Post Office issued the La Salle stamp on April 13, 1966. The stamp was designed by Leendert Verhoven of Brigdens Limited, a Toronto graphic arts company.

Graphic Material

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

Essays

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

First Day Covers

Sherring Corporation



The Shering cachet shows La Salle's expeditions:




Chickering/Jackson


The Chickering cachet captured La Salle's significant accomplishment:
"Explored the Mississipi River to its mouth"










Canada Post Office Announcement First Day Cover


Canada Post Office used its two-flag cachet to mail the La Salle announcement. This cover was mailed to Portugal.

1966 Alouette II



On January 5, 1966, Canada Post Office issued a stamp to commemorate the launching of the Alouette II satellite. Please go HERE for an interesting article on Canada's space programme and more Alouette II covers.

1965 Nova Scotia and New Brunswick Floral Emblems

In 1867 the colonies of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick joined the Province of Canada to form the Dominion of Canada. The floral emblem stamps for these Atlantic provinces were issued on February 3, 1965.


Canada Post Office Announcement First Day Cover


Canada Post Office used a Rosecraft envelope to announce the release of the Nova Scotia and New Brunswick floral emblem stamps. This first day cover was mailed to Portugal.



 

Nova Scotia : The Mayflower

Nova Scotia's floral emblem, the mayflower (Epigea repens), was adopted in 1901.



The mayflower, also known as trailing arbutus, blooms in the forest glades of early spring, often amid the last remaining snows of winter. The pink flowers are delicately scented and grow on stems from 15 to 30 centimetres long. The mayflower derives its name from the Massachusetts pilgrims who saw it as the first flower of spring and named it after the ship that brought them to Plymouth Rock.


First Day Covers

(Not in author's collection)

Usages

International Surface Letter


Halifax to Aberdeen, Scotland, May 15, 1965
5 cents preferred surface letter rate to the UK

Slogan : Royal Philatelic Society Convention May 13 -14-15


New Brunswick : Purple Violet

New Brunswick's floral emblem, the purple violet (Viola cucullata), was adopted in 1936.




The flower, a relative of the pansy, can be purple or dark blue and is also known as the marsh blue violet. Its stems are from 8 to 15 centimetres long. The purple violet is found throughout Eastern Canada, particularly in wet meadows and woodlands. It grows especially well in New Brunswick and is seen in fields, lawns and gardens in the early summer.

Essays

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

National Archives of Canada

First Day Covers




Chickering/Jackson




Overseas Mailers embellishment of Chickering/Jackson

Usages

Surface Letter to the U.S.

Ross' Ferry to Peoria, March 15, 1965
5 cents surface letter rate to the USA


International Air Mail


North Bay to Lugano, Switzerland, March 9, 1965
15 cents air mail post card rate to Europe
Shortpaid for air conveyance (less than 75% of rate) and sent by surface mail