1909 ST LOUIS MISSOURI CENTENNIAL PARADE RPO COVER

Very interesting cover with oval Centennial Parade R.P.O./ 1809/ 1909/ St. Louis, MO, Oct 7 1909, postmark on 2c Washington postage stamp. In Oct 1909 St. Louis, Missouri, celebrated the centennial of its incorporation as a city. As part of that celebration, a huge industrial parade was help on Oct 7 1909. It consisted of 12 divisions, each headed by a marching band, with a total of 122 floats. The St. Louis Railway Mail Clerks entered a float constructed of a St. Louis & Iron Mountain (Missouri Pacific) railroad card, less trucks, on a wagon drawn by a team of horses. The public was encouraged to "mail" souvenir post cards and letters on the car during the parade to receive the special commemorative postmark that was applied by the clerks during the three hour parade and some three additional hours afterward. Very fine condition. *** We have been in the postal history business since 1953 and are members of the American Stamp Dealers Association, American Philatelic Society, National Stamp Dealers Association, Philatelic Traders Society (Great Britain), Canadian Stamp Dealers Association (Canada), International Federation of Stamp Dealers Associations, Collectors Club of New York and numerous other philatelic organizations.