There is a special exhibit, courtesy of the Lyon County Stamp Club, on display now at the Lyon County Museum. The exhibit is a two-sided easel featuring a collection of covers from Lyon County post offices and commemorative covers for special events. Some of the covers are from post offices that no longer exist, for instance Camden and Green Valley. The commemorative covers include ones from the Marshall Airport dedication in 1935 and Schwan’s 50th anniversary in 2002. The exhibit is located on the main floor of the museum by the ice cream shop and the retail exhibit.

In philately, which is the study of postage stamps and postal history, the term cover pertains to the outside of an envelope with an address, typically with postage stamps that have been cancelled and is a term generally used among stamp and postal history collectors. Cover collectors seek out envelopes with stamps affixed to them, usually canceled and often featuring interesting markings or graphics. The when and where the stamp was canceled play a key role in determining the cover’s rarity and value.

There are different types of covers. A few examples include: first day covers, advertising covers, military covers, event covers, and disaster covers. First day covers feature a stamp cancelled on its first day of issue. Advertising covers feature an illustrated envelope advertising a product or service. Military covers include mail sent from army or military post offices, or from prisoners of war. Event covers feature mail postmarked on a notable day or a special event. Disaster covers include mail salvaged from tragic events.

A special event cancellation was created for Lyon County’s 150th anniversary this year. The cancellation can be used at the Marshall post office until Sept. 11. We have stamped and canceled envelopes for sale at the museum for $3 each.

The Lyon County Historical Society (LCHS) is a non-profit, member-supported organization. LCHS operates the Lyon County Museum at 301 W Lyon St in Marshall. The museum is open! For hours and more information, visit our website: www.lyoncomuseum.org, call: 507-537-6580, email: director@lyoncomuseum.org, or check our Facebook page.