57 Years Ago
On May 14, 1968 Colorado Transcript announced that Golden's Mayor had issued a proclamation celebrating the 50th anniversary of U.S. Airmail service.
THEREFORE I, Charles Goudge, by the virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Golden, do hereby proclaim May, 1968 as Golden Airmail Anniversary Month.
The Post Office had a much bigger commemoration in 1938, which marked the 20th anniversary of airmail service. The Transcript wrote about the event several times through April and May of that year. To help whip up the excitement, the Golden Fire Department organized an essay contest and a “plane building” contest for students.
The Golden post office had a special cachet designed for air mail envelopes distributed during Air Mail Week (May 15-21). “This cachet is designed to illustrate the short time that has elapsed since the days of Buffalo Bill, the pony express and the present rapid air mail service.” Patrons could use the envelopes for regular business or they could send them to Kittyhawk, N.C., where the first airplane flight took place. The Kittyhawk post office would postmark them and send them back.
As reported in the April 14, 1938 Colorado Transcript
The Post Office sponsored an “Air Mail Derby.” People were encouraged to write a letter and send it by air mail. The reply had to be received by May 20th. “The letter averaging the greatest number of miles per hour for the round trip, from the time it is postmarked at the Golden post office to the time its delivery on return is recorded, will be the winner.”
April 28th, 1938 Colorado Transcript
“The great interest taken in Air mail Week–sponsored by Golden Firemen May 2 to 7–was most fittingly impressed upon the citizens of Golden Friday–when Lieut. Eugene Cunningham’s National Guard squadron swooped down over the city–evidently the purring of the planes woke some people up.”
May 5th, 1938 Colorado Transcript
“As a special feature of National Air Mail Week Golden will have its airmail delivered and picked up by an airmail plane piloted by Ray Wilson of Denver on Thursday, May 19…. Postmaster Pike, who has been successful in arranging this innovation as a part of Golden’s Air Mail Week celebration, has been authorized to mark all in-coming and out-going mail delivered and picked up at Golden by the plane “First Flight” over his signature.”
May 19th, 1938 Colorado Transcript
Evidently, they couldn’t find a place that a plane could land within the City limits. “The nearest place to Golden that the postal department will authorize the landing of an airmail plane is at Gravel Spur, a short distance out of the city on 44th Avenue.”
May 26, 1938 Colorado Transcript
It was a successful promotion! “During Air Mail Week 1,535 air mail letters, including 814 “First Flight” letters were dispatched from Golden.”
