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Original Philatelic Ephemera - First Day Cover (Envelope) Commemorating the Dedication of the Port Arthur-Orange Bridge in Texas, September 8, 1938 (Together with) Printed Port Arthur-Orange Bridge Postcard

Original event cover (envelope) on beige paper with two commemorative cachets on front and a laid-in printed color postcard featuring the Port Arthur-Orange Bridge. Envelope: 6 1/2" x 3 1/2." Postcard: 5 1/2" x 3 1/2." Envelope is used. Postcard is unused. Envelope is virtually pristine and intact except for age toning and a few bands of offsetting that appear to be from the glue of the envelope's flaps. Postcard is virtually pristine and intact except for age toning. Both envelope and postcard are Near Fine. One of the envelope's cachets is printed text in the upper-left corner that reads, "First Day Cover, Port Arthur-Orange Bridge, Dedication Sept. 7-8; This bridge is 7,700 feet long and 230 feet high over the Neches River. This cover was sent in the first pouch of U. S. Mail to cross this bridge. Port Arthur, Texas, 'The City of Opportunity,' ' We Oil the World.'" The other cachet is a pictorial purple stamp with an illustration showing a sweeping view of the bridge with a ship passing underneath and text that reads, "Opening Celebration Sept. 7-8; Port Arthur-Orange; Tallest in the South." Envelope has two stamps with cancellation marks, a brown c. 1938 1 1/2 Cents Martha Washington stamp and brown c. 1930 1 1/2 Cents Warren G. Harding stamp. There are also two postmarks; one reading, "Port Arthur, Texas, 1938"; the other reading, "Orange, Texas, Sep 8, 1938, 9 PM." Envelope is addressed to "Newell D. Voss (?), c/o Pan American Airways, Brownsville, Texas." Blue "B. P. Roberts" stamp on top back flap. The postcard shows a color illustration on front of the Port Arthur-Orange Bridge's apex in side profile with three small inset illustrations pictured underneath of the "P. A. Pleasure Pier Bridge," "Hotel Goodhue," and "Orange County Court House." Brief printed text on front and back of postcard describe some of the bridge's dimensions and other statistics. This envelope and its cachets commemorate the dedication of the Port Arthur-Orange Bridge which actually took place on September 8, 1938, the day of the bridge's completion. Construction began in 1936 and came about due to a need for expediting travel between the towns of Port Arthur in Jefferson County and Orange in Orange County, Texas. During World War II, the bridge facilitated bus travel which was important for carrying out military logistics. The bridge spans the Neches River and its impressive height allows for tall naval ships to pass through. The Port Arthur-Orange Bridge still stands to this day and has been known as the Rainbow Bridge since 1957.. Ephemera. Book Condition: Collectible-Near Fine (Near Fine). Binding: No Binding

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