Based on our past experiences, namely the 1986 Cooperstown Bicentennial, we assumed, something we should know better than to do, that the village would handle necessary financial transactions. The bicentennial committee would receive any monies, and turn them over to the village which would then pay the bills attendant to the bicentennial celebration. It seems simple enough and goodness knows it worked in 1986. However, we gather that, as is the case with so many things, the past 21 years have made the workings of the village ever more complex. What was a simple matter then, is not quite so simple today. In fact, we tend to find it most ironic that a bicentennial celebration that is basically celebrating 200 years of government in the Village of Cooperstown, should seem to be bogged down by the very government that is being celebrated. We only hope that the powers that be figure something out that will allow the celebration to continue.

Assuming, something which, once again, we know we should not do, the financial woes of the bicentennial committee are cleared up, we hasten to point out that as part of the bicentennial celebration a First Day Cover (Cachet) will go on sale at the Cooperstown Post Office on Tuesday, April 3 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The envelope being used for this cachet was designed by Ms. Dianne Kull, art teacher and long time member of the Board of the Cooperstown Art Association, and features an image ofáLake Otsego, ca: 1807.áThere will be four stamps on each envelope, clustered in precise order on the upper right hand corner of the envelope.áThe first stamp is the April 14, 1982 issue of the New York 20-cent "State Bird and Flower" stamp. Next to it is the venerable James Fenimore Cooper 2-cent stamp, part of the 1940 "Famous American Author" series.áTo the right of that is a 22-cent stamp from 1988, a scene from lower Manhattan depicting the celebration surrounding New York State’s July 26, 1788 part of the "Ratification of the Constitution Bicentennial series.áBelow that is the piece de resistance, the "Centennial of Baseball" 3-cent commemorative from June 19, 1939, the day the Baseball Hall of Fame was dedicated.áIt depicts boys playing the national game in a pasture that could very well be Doubleday Field.

Part of the envelope design is the special cancellation stamp based on the Bicentennial logo. The Bicentennial logo was designed by Bob Lettis, artist and former Cooperstown High School art teacher. It is the figure of Natty Bumpo/ Leatherstocking, taken from an illustration in one of James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales.

The envelopes are of the finest acid-free paper and are printed with the finest archival ink. Each envelope will be numbered and will have the official seal of the Village of Cooperstown imprinted in gold on the back flap.áThey will be held in perfect shape by inserts of an acid-free lightweight cardboard and finally will be protected by the finest acid-free plastic sleeve.

The cachet is limited to 250 black and white envelopes and 250 of the same illustration, in color.áSome people may prefer the illustration to be printed in black and white because the original, taken from "Gleason’s Pictorial Drawing Room Companion" whicháis ináthe New York State Historical Association Library, is printed in black and white. Some will prefer the color-enhanced edition.áThe black and white envelopes will sell for $20 and the color enhanced one for $25.áThere is a limit ofáeight envelopes per person. After April 3, any envelopes not sold may be purchased from Augur’s Corner Bookstore at 73 Main St., Ellsworth and Sill at 79 Main St., The Freeman’s Journal Office atá59 Pioneer St. and by mail from Bicentennial, c/o Rathbun, 209 County Highway 52, Cooperstown, N.Y. 13326.

In closing, for 30 days following the April 3 bicentennial cancellation event, the Cooperstown Post Office will use the Bicentennial cancellation stamp on anything that anyone would like to have cancelled as long as the item has the appropriateáUnited States postage on it. Up to 50 items may be cancelled without charge. All requests for cancellation must be made at the Post Office either in person or by mail. If requesting a cancellation by mail, return postage must be included with the request.

We remain,

In these Otsego hills,

The Ellsworths

The Ellsworths may be reached by mail at 105 Pioneer St., Cooperstown, N.Y. 13326, by telephone at 547-8124 or by e-mail at cellsworth1@stny.rr.com. They look forward to hearing from you.