In March 1948, Hadwen Carlton Fuller (R-NY) introduced a House Joint Resolution (HJ Res) that called for half dollars "in commemoration of the one-hundredth anniversary of the incorporation of the historic city of Oswego, New York." The HJ Res was immediately referred to the House Committee on Banking and Currency.
ICYWW: Per Senate.gov, "Like a bill, a joint resolution requires the approval of both Chambers in identical form and the president's signature to become law. There is no real difference between a joint resolution and a bill. The joint resolution is generally used for continuing or emergency appropriations.Oswego is a small city in Oswego County (it's the County Seat) in upstate New York; it is located on Lake Ontario and had a 1948 population of approximately 22,500 - it has since lost >20% of its population.
The area occupied by present-day Oswego was first inhabited by members of the Iroquois Native American Nation (specifically, Cayugas, Oneidas and Onondagas), though it appears it was used more as hunting grounds vs. an area of formal settlement. The name Oswego is derived from the Iroquois "Osh-wah-kee" which means "the flowing out of the waters." The Oswego River flows through Oswego and into Lake Ontario; it draws from the waters and lakes of Western and Central New York. Oswego has been referred to as "The Port City of Central New York" thanks to its location on the lake and its connection via natural and, later, man-made waterways (i.e., canals) linked to the interior of New York State.
European settlement of the area can be traced to 1722 when the British established a successful trading post for trade with the indigenous Native Americans. In 1727, Fort Oswego was built nearby to protect the trading post. Its strategic location and importance for trading caused additional British forts to be built in the area and for Oswego to become a point of conflict between the British and the French (in Canada) before and during the French and Indian War (aka, the Seven Years War).
The area continued to be seen as a strategically valuable spot during the American Revolutionary War, and even though the British formally surrendered to the Americans in 1783 to end the War via the Treaty of Paris, the British continued to occupy their forts in the area until 1796. After the British left, more and more settlers moved into the area and Oswego entered into a prolonged growth and development phase.
The growth lead to the incorporation of Village of Oswego in 1828, and, 20 years later, in 1848, to the incorporation of the
City of Oswego - it is the 100th anniversary of this event that the 1948 coin sought to commemorate.
The Resolutton proposed the minting of up to 100,000 legal tender half dollars of standard specifications, to be struck during calendar year 1948. The commemorative piece was to be a circulating coin released at par to raise awareness of Oswego and its history. Though the Resolution left the finalization of the coin's designs to the Director of the Mint, it did specify that "a replica of the seal of the city of Oswego, New York" be included.
The Joint Resolution was never reported out of Committee, and thus failed to result in a circulating half dollar. It should be remembered that the Benjamin
Franklin half dollar was introduced into circulation in 1948 - the Treasury Department did not support another circulating half dollar coin - especially one of a short-term, limited mintage.
Some historians argue that Oswego's early strategic importance/significance elevates the city to a level of national importance. I'd have to hear more about its long-lasting national impact before I could support a full national vs. local story line for Oswego, NY. Based on what I know, I'm OK with this coin proposal's failure.
For more of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including many more What If? stories, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 01/03/2023 08:11 am
