In September 1933, the Lykens Stamp Club of Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, sponsored a commemorative cachet [drawing on envelope] recognizing the legend of Love Rock, which is located at Lykens at Berry Mountain. It was the first of two known cachet commemorations of Love Rock, the second occurring in May, 1938, when the Lykens Post Office issued one.
The actual design of the 1933 cachet was not available for this blog post. Also, none of the announcements from the “50 dailies” have been located. If any blog reader has a copy of the cachet or the full cover [envelope], and would be willing to send a image, it can be posted here.
The two articles which described the event are presented below.
From the Lykens Standard, September 15, 1933:
STAMP CLUB TO SPONSOR INDIAN SUMMER CACHET
The Lykens Stamp Club will sponsor a cacheted envelope on September 23rd, celebrating the Indian Summer season as well as the famous historic site of Indian Love Rock, on Berry’s Mountain. The cachet will be a printed envelope bearing a picture and story of the famous legend connecting the names of Harold Wingams and William Wingams, early soldiers of fortune, and close friends of William Penn with the site of Indian Love Rock. The cachet will be of further philatelic value bearing a precancelled stamp from Lykens.
It is expected by those in charge of the cachets for the club that the Indian Summer cachet will have a wide vogue. The announcement of the same appearing not alone in the leading philatelic magazines but in more than 50 large dailies as well.
Because of the connection of this cachet to local history it is expected that many Lykensians and natives of the Valley may want the same. The can be procured from Uhler’s Drug Store on the day of the same, order early.
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From the Lykens Standard, September 22, 1933. Note, the news story contains language which today is considered offensive in describing Native Americans.
LYKENS CACHET CHANGE DATE FOR COMMEMORATION
The Lykens Cachets have changed the date of the local Indian Summer cachet commemorating the famous — of Indian Rock Berry’s Mountain, September 23 to the 28th. The reason for the change was the fact that the latter date has been put aside as American Indian Day to be celebrated by the schools, organizations and a Century of Progress alike. It is therefore appropriate that this should be the date of the local cachet.
There is no more striking site in the State of Pennsylvania than the Indian Love Rock, of Berry’s Mountain. The phenomena is too striking to be simply a natural occurrence. Legendry ascribes to the site the heroic tale of William Wingam [sic] and Harold Wingam‘s [sic] in their rescue of a white maiden from the hands of Indian savages at this spot. The tale runs that the brothers early English soldier’s of fortune, close friends of William Penn and interested in the colonization of the New World came upon the Indian Camp near the base of the mountain. From the preparations being made they were aware of the impending ceremony. The friendly Indian gave the white pioneers the freedom of the camp. In their rounds they chanced upon the camp in which the bride-to-be was held captive. By a chant she informed the white men of her plight, revealing the fact that she was a captured white maiden about to be wed in the wild tribal ceremonies to the chief’s son. The white brothers determined to save her. Art the point in the marital ceremony where the maiden offered her prayer to the gods, Harold Wingam [sic] rushed in on a pony and snatching up the lass and bore here to the mountain top beyond. The enraged savages killed his brother in the pursuit. It was at the site of the Love Rock that the plight of the two was discovered and in a mad headlong dive they leaped from the cliff to safety below.
The mourning brave, losing his mine, never left the spot of the leap. Years passed during which he is supposed to have carved out the two seats one for himself and one for his lost love at the site. The chairs remain.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.