A part of the U.S. Government’s participation in HemisFair ’68 was the commissioning of a commemorative 6 cent mailing stamp.
Included in a few FDC envelopes was an information card giving a brief description of the commemorative stamp. Here is an excerpt from the card “The stamp was designed by San Francisco artist Louis Macouiliard. It echo’s the theme of the exposition, “Civilizations in the Americas.” The stamp was modeled by Robert J. Jones and engraved by Edward R. Felver (vignette) and Howard F. Sharpless (lettering) of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Blue and pink were applied by offset; white by the Giori press”.
During first day of issue on March 30, 1968 the formal ceremony for the stamp was held at the Fair offices
Below are scans of brochure material from the ceremony. (Click on images for a closer look)
Along with the commemorative stamp HemisFair ’68 also had its own small post office located under one of the elevated walkways that lead to the Tower of the Americas. “Built by the fair corporation and furnished and staffed by the Post Office Department, the office will sell stamps and money orders and will accept parcel post, registered and insured mail”. (El Abrazo Magazine, Nov 1967) In 2008 along with the 40th anniversary exhibit, the Institute of Texan Cultures (the Texas Pavilion during HemisFair) also had an old style postal counter that displayed several of the commemorative post cards and sold stamps. (To the left is an item of mail posted from the HemisFair post office)
434 S Alamo St, San Antonio, TX 78205
