Happy Halloween Poem

Happy Hallowe'en

Guess Halloween is not so bad
Cause most folks seem mighty glad
And all fix up in this or that,
WIth funny face and funny hat.

Some look like ghosts, some like dogs
Some like witches, some like frogs,
And Mickey Mouse is on the scene
Or Snow White and the lovely Queen,

Then Ferdinand will prance about
While every one will dance and shout.
Pop-eye the sailor will be on hand
With Olive Oyle at his command,

All  year long we wouldn't dare,
To make our neighbors stop and stare.
But this one night is a night of fun
And the only night it can be done.

So get your face and funny hat
And some of this and some of that,
And be a clown just for tonite,
For after all it is quite right
To have your fun and have it clean
For this is Happy Halloween.

By Juanita Ward

unused

This post is linked on 'The Best Hearts Are Crunchy' - another blog worth checking out  :D

The Haunted Hotel Del Coronado in California

Hotel Del Coronado, California

unused, from 2011

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Hotel del Coronado is a beachfront luxury hotel in the city of Coronado, just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego, California. It is one of the oldest and largest all-wooden buildings in California and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

When it opened in 1888, it was the largest resort hotel in the world and the first to use electrical lighting. It has hosted presidents, royalty, and celebrities throughout the years. The hotel has been featured in numerous movies and books.

The hotel received the Four Diamond rating from the American Automobile Association, and was listed by USA Today as one of the "Top 10 Resorts In The World".

One famous resident of the hotel is the purported ghost of Kate Morgan. On November 24, 1892, she checked into room 304 (then 3318, now 3327), to meet with her husband who was a doctor and he was going to give her medicine for her stomach cancer, but he never arrived. She was found dead on the steps leading to the beach three days later. The case was declared a suicide. She had shot herself. Ever since then, some guests that have checked into room 3327 have reported flickering lights and floating objects.

Sand Tiger Sharks at the Aquarium in Barcelona, Spain

 L'Oceanari - Oceanario - The Oceanarium
Carcharias taurus - Solraig de sorra - Tiburon toro - Sand tiger shark
L'Aquarium de Barcelona

postmarked in 2011 from Barcelona, Spain

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Personally, I think you have to be a bit on the crazy side to scuba dive in a shark tank!  (For the record, I'd do it!)

Sand sharks grow up to 10 feet in adult length and can reach up to 200-350 pounds.  They are the only shark known to surface for gulps of air. They store the air in their stomachs which allows them to float motionless in the water as they hunt for prey.

Segovia, Spain

Segovia
Ciudad Patrimonio de la Humanidad (World Heritage City)
Diversos apsectos
Different aspects

postmarked in 2011 with a Spain 'Centennial of the Corps of Architects of the Treasury' 0,80 stamp

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not listed on the postcard, but here are the scenes above....
top: Segovia Cathedral
lower left:  Alcázar of Segovia (Segovia Castle)
lower right: Roman Aqueduct of Segovia

Segovia is a city in Spain and the capital of Segovia Province. It is situated north of Madrid, 30 minutes by high speed train. There is a population of around 55,500 people.

In 1985 the old city of Segovia and its Aqueduct were declared World Heritage by UNESCO.

Moscow Kremlin - Russia

Moscow.  View on the cathedral of Moscow Kremlin.

This postcard is postmarked in 2011 with a Russia 25 P stamp.

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The Moscow Kremlin is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River (to the south), Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square (to the east) and the Alexander Garden (to the west).

It includes four palaces, four cathedrals and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers.
The complex serves as the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.
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Here is another postcard of the Kremlin .....

 1. View on the Cathedrals of Moscow Kremlin
2. Moscow at night
3. The building of the Tretyakov Gallery
4. View of the Kremlin from the Moscow-River
5. The Cathedral of St. Basil the Blassed (error - it should be blessed) at night

This one is postmarked in 2007 with two Russian 10p ballerina stamps.

 

Fantastic Advertising Postcard from Norma Editorial

Norma Editorial

Todas las Novedades - (All news)
Las ultimas Noticias - (Latest news)
Reportajes exclusivos - (exclusive reports)

unused 'free card' advertising card from 2011

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Norma Editorial is a Spanish comics publisher, with its headquarters in Barcelona, Spain.

Founded in 1977 by Rafael Martínez, it publishes both original Spanish comics (such as Miguelanxo Prado), Spanish translations of Japanese manga (such as work of Kia Asamiya, Clamp, Haruhiko Mikimoto, Katsuhiro Otomo, and Masamune Shirow) as well as Spanish translations of American or European comics and graphic novels.

Underwater Scene Painted with the Mouth by John Smith

From an original painted with the Mouth by John Smith

postmarked in 2011 with a Singapore bird stamp

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I found this on the web:

Growing up in rural Queensland, John Smith developed a passion for riding horses. It was while mustering cattle one day that John, suffering the effects of an illness, fell from his horse, hit the back of his head, and was paralysed in his arms and legs. He was just two days short of his 25th birthday. 

After a period of hospitalisation in Brisbane and unable to find suitable care in Mackay, John went to live in a Brisbane nursing home. 

One day a social worker took John to meet an artist by the name of Russell Wolff who painted with his feet. 

Russell was confined to a bed, could only breathe with the assistance of an apparatus, but was able to move one foot. John was so inspired by Russell’s achievements that he began to teach himself to draw by holding a pencil in his mouth. 

Barzan Tower in Qatar

Two camels and riders passing Barzan Tower (Before renovation in 2005), Umm Salal Mohammed, Qatar.

postmarked in 2011 with a 'Military Postal Unit 1' machine stamp

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 In Arabic, 'Barzan' means high place.

Umm Salal Muhammad is the capital city of the municipality of Umm Salal in Qatar.

Route 66 Postcards and Lincoln's Home

US Route 66, which borders Lincoln Home NHS (National Historic Site) on the 9th Street in Springfield, IL, was established on November 11, 1926.  It originally ran from Chicago, IL through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California before ending at Los Angeles for a total of 2,448 miles.  It was officially decommissioned on June 27, 1985.  Portions of the road that passed through Illinois, New Mexico, and Arizona have been designed a National Scenic Byway of the name "Historic Route 66".

postmarked in 2011 with a 29 cent 'foxgove' stamp

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here is a similar postcard ...

Route 66

Mainstreet America

Fun Times on Route 66!

Digital Imaging by Terrell Publishing Co.

unused, but bought in 2007

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Here is a postcard of the Lincoln Home they wrote about in the first postcard.....

Lincoln Home

National Historic Site 

Springfield, Illinois

Abraham Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, purchased this Springfield, Illinois house in 1844.  The one-and-a-half-story cottage was eventually expanded into a twelve-room, two-story home.  It was the first and only home the Lincoln's ever owned and where they resided for seventeen years (1844-1861.

postmarked in 2011 with a 29 cent 'Lavender' stamp, there is also a special hand stamp of the home itself from Springfield 

                                      

 

Shaped Bull Elk postcard and a Raymond Loewy Pencil Sharpener Stamp

 Bull Elk
Elk, or Wapiti, grow their antlers fresh every summer and shed them in the winter.

Photo: William H. Mullins

This shaped postcard is postmarked in 2011 with a USA pencil sharpener stamp.

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The elk or wapiti (Cervus canadensis) is one of the largest species of deer in the world and one of the largest land mammals in North America and eastern Asia. Elk are similar to the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) found in Europe, of which they were long believed to be a subspecies. However, evidence from a 2004 study of the mitochondrial DNA indicates they are a distinct species.

Male elk have large antlers which are shed each year. Males also engage in ritualized mating behaviors during the rut (mating season), including posturing, antler wrestling (sparring), and bugling, a loud series of vocalizations which establishes dominance over other males and attracts females.

USA Stamp 2011
Raymond Loewy, Streamlined Pencil Sharpener - Forever a first class rate
from the Pioneers of American Industrial Design series
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the back of the stamp set has written about Loewy:
Raymond Loewy (1893-1986) designed everything from trains and cars to appliances, corporate logos, and even office tools.  He created this chromium-plated pencil sharpener prototype in 1933.  The sharpener's distinctive teardrop shape lent it a sense of speed and movement that belied its stationary function.

Pobediteley Avenue, Minsk, Belarus

Minsk, Belarus

Pobediteley Avenue

postmarked in 2011 with two 2008 stamps from Belarus, one of a European Pine Marten and one with Daffodil flowers 

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Minsk is the capital and largest city in Belarus, situated on the Svislach and Nemiga rivers and in 2009 had a population of 1,836,808 people.

The earliest references to Minsk date to the 11th century (1067), when it was a provincial city within the principality of Polotsk. 

If you look at a list of 'who's who' from Minsk, you will see a lot of chess masters!  So my guess is, a lot of smart people live in Minsk  :D

                                             

Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly, Ridgecrest, North Carolina

Please note: in the first card (1950) they own 1,100 acres, in the second (1953) they own 960 acres.

Pritchell Hall, Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly, Ridgecrest, North Carolina

Pritchell Hall, the main hotel, around which center all social and recreational activities of the Ridgecrest Assembly is located atop the Great Divide and overlooking Royal Gorge in the hear of the Blue ridge Mountains, Ridgecrest is the Summer Capital of Southern Baptists.  The grounds cover 1100 acres on which grow more than 600 species of flora.  Handsome buildings and numerous attractive cottages add charm to the particularly inviting location.

postmarked in 1950 with a 1 cent stamp   

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Greetings from 

Ridgecrest Baptist Assembly
Ridgecrest, North Carolina
Pritchell Hall, Rhododendron Hall, Auditorium

Ridgecrest atop the Great Divide and overlooking Royal Gorge, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is the Summer Capital of Southern Baptists.  The grounds cover 960 acres on which grow more than 600 species of flora.  Handsome buildings and numerous attractive cottages add charm to the particularly inviting location.

postmarked in 1953 with a 2 cent John Adams stamp

the sender writes:
We're here for "music week" and really it's the Sweetest Music this side of Heaven.  How I wish for you to share these spiritual blessings with me.  I am still loving you as I did "in the long ago" and will ever be grateful for you.

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I need to stop typing now and tell my hubby the last line of this letter  :-)

Comics Postcard from the Ukraine with Three Great Stamps

Translation: We decided not to waste money on design...

The sender sent the translation and some information about the three stamps you see below.
This is postmarked in 2011.

2010

Zerynthia polyxena (from the 'National Nature Park' series) 1.00 

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The Southern Festoon (Zerynthia polyxena) is a striking butterfly belonging to the Papilionidae family of butterflies with a wingspan of 60–80 mm. Its flight time is from April to June in a single brood.

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 Ukraine Stamp 2011 - 1.50

“The 200th Anniversary of Birth of Taras Shevchenko”

"Taras Shevchenko. Kazashka Katia. 1857" 

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Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko (March 9, 1814 – March 10,1861) was a Ukrainian and Russian poet, artist and humanist. His literary heritage is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature. Shevchenko also wrote in Russian and left many masterpieces as a painter and an illustrator.

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2010

Syngenite 1.50

from the 'Minerals of Ukraine' series

The stamp is in the shape of a triangle 

Unmailable Birthday Greeting from 1911

A Happy Birthday to you

This postcard was mailed from Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1911 with a one cent stamp (and a postmark from Coney Island!) It is addressed and mailed, but the post office put a stamp on the back that reads, 'Unmailable" - the pictures are covered in little glass beads and tiny metallic dots.  Also, the border is all embossed

The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Sheet Music Postcard

Battle Hymn of the Republic

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

postmarked in 1910 with a one cent Franklin stamp

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"The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is a hymn by American writer Julia Ward Howe (May 27, 1819 – October 17, 1910) using the music from the song "John Brown's Body". Howe's more famous lyrics were written in November 1861 and first published in The Atlantic Monthly in February 1862. It became popular during the American Civil War. Since that time it has become an extremely popular and well-known American patriotic song.

Vaduz, Liechtenstein and the Vaduz Castle

Vaduz, Liechtenstein

(that is Vaduz Castle in the top left corner)

postmarked in 2011 with two Liechtenstein stamps 

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Vaduz is the capital of the principality of Liechtenstein and the seat of the national parliament. The town, located along the Rhine, has about 5,100 inhabitants (as of 2009).

Vaduz Castle is the palace and official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein. The castle gave its name to the town of Vaduz, which it overlooks from an adjacent hilltop.

 
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Here is another postcard with the castle ....

Leichtenstein

Schloss Vaduz - Furst Hans-Adam II - Furstin marie

Saatswappen - Briefmarken

(Castle Vaduz - Prince Hans-Adam II - Princess Marie

Coat of Arms - Stamps)

two different -Deutsche Bundespost - stamps on the back, postmarked from Germany in 1990

Souvenir From France, Embroidered Postcard

Souvenir From France

the sender writes:
A souvenir of Orleans, France.  The home of Joan of Arc.  The woman who lead the French Army against the English.

This postcard is unused, however it has writing on the back.

The  embroidered flags and flowers are on a removable piece of silk.  (The part that lifts off is surrounded by green thread). Men would mail postcards like this to their wives and the wives would take the embroidered part off and sew it on quilts.

It is getting harder to find cards like this!

Saint Martin and Recipe for Conch Salad

St. Maarten (Saint Martin)
Visitors delight in the tranquil lifestyle of St. Maarten.  Relax on the many splendid beaches and resorts of this paradise island.

Conch Salad
1 lb. conch meat, pounded and minced - 4 Key limes, juiced - 1/2 onion, finely sliced - 1/4 cucumber, diced - 1/2 cup celery stalk, diced - 2 tomatoes, peeled and diced - 1/2 hot red pepper, seeded and diced - 1/2 romaine lettuce bunch - 1 tsp. fresh parsley, chopped - -  Rinse conch meat with limewater and pound with mallet to double its size.  Place in bowl with Key lime juice and add all ingredients except lettuce and parsley. Mix well.  Marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.  Serve on lettuce leaves in an attractive salad bowl and top with parsley.  Serves 6

unused

From a set of 12 postcards called:
Cruising the Caribbean (each card also has a recipe on the back)

inside the folder holding the card it reads:

Pristine beaches, tranquil shady palm trees, tropical warm breezes and a laid-back lifestyle make the islands of the Caribbean relaxing, enchanting, enticing, entertaining, and inviting.  Thousands of visitors arrive to one or more of the many Caribbean islands each year to find their perfect sun-kissed vacation destination is the one they will never forget.
The Caribbean has it all!!

Photos 2005: Werner J. Bertsch

Viivi and Wagner - Comic Strip from Finland

 "Kuunnellaan sisaista aanta"
"Siina sinulle sisaista aanta
Viivi ja Wagner

Translation:
"Lets Listen to our inner voice"
"Here is some inner voice for you"
Viivi and Wagner

postmarked in 2011 with a Finland flower stamp

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Viivi & Wagner is a somewhat absurdist Finnish newspaper comic strip drawn by Jussi "Juba" Tuomola.

The titular main characters are Viivi, a Finnish woman in her twenties, and Wagner, a mature male pig. Wagner has all human characteristics and feelings, yet still considers himself a pig instead of a human. Though often mistaken for married, the two are cohabitating in an Odd Couple-ish relationship and genuinely fond of each other when not bickering.

Goubet al Kharab, Djibouti, Africa

Djibouti
Goubet al Kharab

postmarked in 2011 as 'free mail' from a USA Navy FPO address

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Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered in parts by Ethiopia, Somalia, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It  had a population of 818,159 at the 2009 census and is one of the least populous countries in Africa.

Goubet al Kharab is a divers paradise and the place to see shark whales, turtles, schools of barracudas and many corals.

Maria, (From The Pueblo Indians) and her Pottery

Maria, the Pottery Maker

Famous for her distinctive pottery, Maria's work is exhibited in museums throughout the nation.  No where else has Indian Pottery been produced to match that created in New Mexico, Land of Enchantment.

unused

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An excavation, in 1908, led by Edgar Lee Hewett, a professor of archaeology and the director of the Laboratory of Anthropology in Santa Fe, discovered examples of black-on-black pottery. While searching through the sandy dirt and red clay of the New Mexico desert terrain, broken pieces of polished, jet-black pottery were uncovered. At this time, few people were aware that during the Neolithic period, the Pueblo peoples crafted this style of finished ware. The Historical Pottery of the Pueblo Indians 1600-1800 text states that the finished ... pottery held a glossy, melted appearance which was only used for decoration on the pots. Sometime during the end of the 18th century, the use of plant pigments and finely powdered mineral substances became the preferred technique of painting and slowly caused the extinction of glazed pottery.

Hewett sought a skilled pueblo potter who could re-create this ancient pottery style. His intention was to place re-created pots in museums and thus preserve the ancient art form. Maria Martinez was known in the Tewa pueblo of San Ildefonso, New Mexico for making the thinnest pots in the least time. Hewett saw her as the perfect Pueblo potter to bring his idea to life.

A long process of experimentation was required to successfully recreate the black-on-black pottery style to meet Maria’s exacting standards. There were many challenges. As almost all clay found in the New Mexico desert was red, one specific challenge was to figure out a way to dye the red clay jet black. Maria discovered that smothering the fire surrounding the pottery during the firing process caused the smoke to be trapped. The carbon in the smoke caused the pottery to turn to a black ash color. She experimented with the idea that an unfired polished red vessel which was painted with a certain paint on top of the polish and then fired in a smudging fire at a relatively cool temperature would result in a deep glossy black background with dull black decoration. Shards and sheep and horse manure placed around the outside and inside of the outdoor kiva-style adobe oven would give the pot a slicker matte finished appearance . After much trial and error, Maria successfully produced a black ware pot. The first pots for the museum were fired around 1913. These pots were undecorated, unsigned, and of a generally rough quality.

Embarrassed that she could not create high quality black pots in the style of the ancient Pueblo peoples, Maria hid her pots away from the world. A few years later, Hewett and his guests visited the little Tewa Pueblo. These guests asked to purchase black ware pottery, similar to Maria's pots housed in the museum. Maria was greatly encouraged by this interest and resolutely began trying to perfect the art of black ware pottery. Her skill advanced with each pot, and her art began to cause quite a stir among collectors and developed into a business for the black ware pottery. 

Orson Wells Postcard

Orson Welles, 1979
Photograph by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders

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George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985), best known as Orson Welles, was an American filmmaker, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio. Noted for his innovative dramatic productions as well as his distinctive voice and personality, Welles is widely acknowledged as one of the most accomplished dramatic artists of the twentieth century.

After directing a number of high-profile theatrical productions in his early twenties, including an innovative adaptation of Macbeth and The Cradle Will Rock, Welles found national and international fame as the director and narrator of a 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Wells's novel The War of the Worlds performed for the radio drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was reported to have caused widespread panic when listeners thought that an invasion by extraterrestrial beings was occurring. Although these reports of panic were mostly false and overstated, they rocketed Welles to instant notoriety.

Citizen Kane (1941), his first film with RKO, in which he starred in the role of Charles Foster Kane, is often considered the greatest film ever made. Several of his other films, including The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), Touch of Evil (1958), Chimes at Midnight (1965), and F for Fake (1974), are also widely considered to be masterpieces.

In 2002, he was voted the greatest film director of all time in two separate British Film Institute polls among directors and critics Well known for his baritone voice, Welles was also an extremely well regarded actor and was voted number 16 in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars list of the greatest American film actors of all time. He was also a celebrated Shakespearean stage actor and an accomplished magician, starring in troop variety shows in the war years.

Gravosa, Yugoslavia and King Alexander's Assassination

Gruz - Gravosa, Yugoslavia (now Croatia)

postmarked in 1930 with two Yugoslavia (Kraljevina) King Alexander stamps 

 

Yugoslavia Stamps 1928

King Alexander 1D and 50 

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Alexander I  (16 December 1888  – 9 October 1934) was the first king of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1929–34).

About his assassination:

On account of the deaths of three members of his family on a Tuesday, Alexander refused to undertake any public functions on that day. On Tuesday 9 October 1934, however, he had no choice, as he was arriving in Marseilles to start a state visit to the Third French Republic, to strengthen the two countries' alliance in the Little Entente. While Alexander was being driven in a car through the streets along with French Foreign Minister Louis Barthou, a gunman, Vlado Chernozemski, stepped from the street and shot the King and the chauffeur. Barthou was accidentally shot by a French policeman and died later.

It was one of the first assassinations captured on film; the shooting occurred straight in front of the cameraman, who was only feet away at the time. The cameraman captured not merely the assassination but the immediate aftermath; the body of the chauffeur (who had been killed instantly) became jammed against the brakes of the car, allowing the cameraman to continue filming from within inches of the King for a number of minutes afterwards.

Ruins of Sans Souci Palace in Haiti

Cap Haitain, Republique D'Haiti
Ruins of Sans Souci Palace

Love Thy Sunny Caribbean

Photo: Herbert E. Miller

postmarked in 1978 with a Haiti stamp

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The Sans-Souci Palace was the royal residence of King Henri I (better known as Henri Christophe) of Haiti, Queen Marie-Louise and their twin daughters. Construction of the palace started in 1810 and was completed in 1813. Its name translated from French means "without worry."

Crippled by a stroke, King Henri I committed suicide on the grounds of the palace on October 8, 1820. According to Haitian legend, he shot himself with a silver bullet.

His nephew and heir, Jacques-Victor Henry, Prince Royal of Haiti was bayoneted to death by revolutionaries at the Palace on October 18, 1820.

A severe earthquake in 1842 destroyed a considerable part of the palace and it was never rebuilt.

UNESCO designated it—and the Citadelle—World Heritage Sites in 1982.

                                 

Haiti  (Republique D'Haiti) stamp 1977

Jean-Jacques Dessalines

Fondateur de la Patrie Haitienne (Founder of the Haitian fatherland)

Avion, 1.00 (Airmail)