Y4101

Happy Birthday

Borough of Allentown, NJ - 300th Anniversary

Fred's Anecdotal Note 

Allentown, New Jersey 1706 - 2006 

Long before Europeans settled in the area, Native Americans of the Lenne Lenape tribe had villages throughout the region. In October of 1706, Nathan Allen purchased land and shortly thereafter constructed a grissmill. A blacksmith, saw mill and other businesses soon followed, and the village of Allen's Town flourished. During the Revolution, the Town was site of multiple troop movements by both sides, and the grissmill provided food for the Contenential soldiers.

A Presbyteran meeting house was built in the early 1800s overlooking the mill and its pond. A steeple was added in 1856. The front of the church is shown in the 300th Anniversary pictorial cancel. It is depicted in the hand-painted cachet along with the current old mill which was built in the 1800s on the site of Nathan's original structure which had burned down. Also shown are six domestic greese which in recent years captivated local residences with their daily procession to the mill pond. By including them in the scene quiant charm will endure.

The 2006 Happy Birthday stamp which is postmarked on its day of issue in Santa Claira. California, quilifies this envelope as a First Day Cover. Its festive design celebrates the 300th Birthday of the historic and tanquill village of Allentown. And with New Jersey and California postmarks this cover is a symbolic reminder that in 300 years since Nathan  built his mill, the original colonies have become our county from sea to shining sea.  

Collins Cover Announcement 

300th Anniversag of the Founding of Allentown, NJ

2006 .Happy Birthday Stamp — First Day of Issue

In 1706, Nathan Allen built a gristmill, and that was the beginning of Allen's Town as a blacksmith, sawmill, and other establishments soon began operations in the area. Situated on Old York Road, which was a direct link between New York City and Philadelphia, the new village soon had a couple of tavern/inns as it became a stagecoach stop. Benjamin Franklin passed through several times as he traveled between the large cities.

During the Revolutionary War, Allen's Town exchanged hands several times between the British and American forces. Located only a short distance from the state capital of Trenton, it proved to be a strategic spot. Although modest in size, the town today is a historic treasure with several buildings dating to the 1700s. At some point, the name was changed to Allentown.

A Presbyterian meeting house was constructed in the early 1800s. Later it was enlarged, and a steeple was added in 1856. The church sits on a hill overlooking the pond next to the site of Nathan's original mill. When the borough celebrated its 300th Birthday, a contest was held among local students to come up with a design idea for a postmark to commemorate the event. A front view of the historic church was chosen.

The hand painted cachet works together really well with the stamps and cancels on this combination First Day and event cover. In the foreground right is "the old mill" that is today's premier landmark in the village. It was built in the 1800s on the very site of Nathan Allen's original mill. Currently it houses a German restaurant and several shops. In the lower left corner, I affixed the Statue of Liberty/Flag stamp, and it is canceled with the special October 28, 2006 pictorial postmark which celebrates our town's 300th Birthday.

To the upper left, I placed the 2006 Happy Birthday stamp, and its day of issue cancellation is from Santa Clara, California, It's neat that the First Day was on the West Coast because the two postmarks on this cover are symbolic of the fact that in the three hundred years since Allentown's founding, the world's greatest country came into existence and spread from the Atlantic to the Pacific — from sea to shining sea. Between the Happy Birthday stamp and the old mill, I've added the old church on the hill and the pond that separates the two historic structures.

When Linda and I first moved to Allentown, there were six white domestic geese that daily would cross the road a couple of times to the mill pond. Traffic gladly stopped, and onlookers enjoyed the tranquil procession. It added another touch of charm to the quaint village. It's a certainty that geese also roamed around Nathan's mill in 1706 and throughout the years since. I've added those six geese to the cachet so that Linda, myself, and all the Allentown residents who loved them will know that "on cover" they'll always be walking toward the pond by the old mill.

The colors on the two stamps are vibrant. The colors in the hand painted cachet are rich and full. The cancels and text are in harmony. When I say that the visual blend of this First day Dover is perfect, I am not overstating it. You'll love having this one in your collection. As an added touch, each cover will have an insert with information about the village and this Collins First Day Cover and cachet. I'm pleased to offer Allento-wn's 300th Happy Birthday — Collins #Y4101 — $14.25.