Gateway Arch Opens to the Public
On June 10, 1967, the Gateway Arch opened in St. Louis, Missouri. A monument to America’s westward expansion, it’s the tallest arch in the world at 630 feet.
Government
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Confederate Postal Service Begins
On June 1, 1861, the Confederate States of America took control of their own postal operations. With several months before official postage stamps would be ready, some cities produced their own postmaster’s provisional stamps to keep mail moving during this time.
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U.S. Issues Shanghai Stamps
On May 24, 1919, the US issued stamps for use in Shanghai, China. The stamps were produced in limited quantities and only remained in use for a few years.
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Happy Birthday William H. Seward
William Henry Seward was born on May 16, 1801 in Florida, New York. Seward served as Abraham Lincoln’s secretary of state during the Civil War and later acquired Alaska for the United States.
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America Issues First Airmail Stamp
On May 13, 1918, the United States issued its first airmail stamp – US #C3. It carried America’s first airmail two days later, and sparked one of the world’s most famous stamp rarities.
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First International Postal Conference
On May 11, 1863, representatives from 15 nations met in Paris to discuss postal issues. That first International Postal Conference would eventually lead to the creation of the Universal Postal Union.
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Lincoln Made Honorary Citizen of San Marino
On May 7, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln accepted the “honor of citizenship” from San Marino. It was one of the earliest instances of US and San Marino relations, which wouldn’t be formally established for decades.
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Happy Birthday Shirley Temple
Beloved child star and diplomat Shirley Temple was born on April 23, 1928, in Santa Monica, California. Temple starred in over 40 films by the time she was 12, and went on to become the first female ambassador to Czechoslovakia.
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US-Netherlands Relations
On April 19, 1782, John Adams secured recognition from the Dutch Republic of the United States as an independent government. This marked the start of one of America’s longest unbroken peaceful relationships with another nation.
