What Might Have Been
The theme of the Trans-Mississippi stamps was the development and progress of the American West. During the series’ development, the Omaha newspapers published suggestions and speculation on possible subjects for the stamps. Presented here are mock stamps of showing what some of these suggested subjects might have looked like if issued.
Thomas Hart Benton
Third Assistant Postmaster General Merritt suggested Thomas Hart Benton as a subject.
The well-known statue of Thomas H. Benton at St. Louis contains upon one side of the base a quotation from one of Mr. Benton’s celebrated speeches, wherein he outlines the possibilities of the country beyond the Mississippi, and it has been thought that the Benton statue would be an appropriate design for one of the stamps
—Omaha Daily Bee, December 24, 1897
This mock stamp was made with a traced sketch of the statue and a banner featuring the words on the base of the statue: “In the east there is India”
Driving the Golden Spike
The Last Spike (1881) by Thomas Hill 
Scott #922A postage stamp commemorating the completion of the transcontinental railroad was eventually issued in 1944.
Edward Rosewater, owner of the Omaha Daily Bee and publicity manager for the Trans-Mississippi exposition made multiple suggestions for stamp subjects. One of those suggestions was the golden spike.
Manager Rosewater has made another suggestion to the Postoffice department regarding these special stamps, since the department has announced the subjects which will be represented on them. He has recommended that one of the denominations bear a design showing an event in the history of the great west which marks an epoch of national importance - the “driving of the golden spike” which completed the great transcontinental railway and tied together the Pacific and Atlantic. It was suggested that such an event would be of greater historical importance and make the stamps more desirable as souvenirs than the representation of scene such as have been selected for some of the stamps.
—Omaha Daily Bee, February 6, 1898
This mock stamp was made with a sketch based on the painting The Last Spike by Thomas Hill.
Edward Rosewater
Portrait of Edward RosewaterPhotograph from the Nebraska State Historical Society ( RG2411-4772 )
Omaha Daily Bee, December 13, 1897Edward Rosewater was the owner and editor of the Omaha Daily Bee. He was also a politician with connections to the US Post Office. It is partially thanks to Rosewater’s direct involvement that the Trans-Mississippi issue of stamps was approved for production.
Rosewater’s contribution to securing the creation of the commemorative issue was well known, even at the time. A report from the Greenwood Record newspaper, republished in the Omaha Daily Bee, directly names him as the responsible party:
Greenwood Record: The Transmississippi Exposition will have special stamps which will be sold at the Omaha postoffice and on the Exposition grounds, but will be received as postage at any postoffice in the United States. It is said that Edward Rosewater was the first man to suggest that there be stamps of special design for the exposition. Allow us to suggest that Mr. Rosewater’s picture by on one of them.
—Omaha Daily Bee, December 13, 1897
This mock stamp was made by tracing the portrait of Rosewater.
Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way
Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Wayby Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze
A popular suggestion submitted by the public to the Omaha newspapers was this painting, Westward the Course of Empire Takes Its Way, also known as Westward Ho. The mural, painted by Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze in 1861, represents idea of Manifest Destiny
The dramatic painting includes wagon trains of pioneers heading toward the Pacific.
This $1 mock stamp was built with a sketch including re-arranged elements of the original painting.