Celebrate the NPS With Centennial Park Stamps
See the 16 national parks in the collection.
Perusing the thousands of photos tagged with #FindYourPark on Instagram gives a glimpse into some of our country's beautiful national parks – many I've never been to, but consequently, now want to visit. As the National Park Service celebrates its 100th anniversary, I can’t help but think about what inspired travelers over the past century to visit the national parks and then how they shared their experiences.
U.S. Postal Service
Learn About Mount Rainier: National Parks in Washington
It’s crazy to think some park visitors in the early 1900s might never have even seen photos of parks or monuments prior to seeing them in real life. And sharing the first time they saw Mount Rainier, hiked in Cumberland Gap or traversed the caves at Carlsbad probably meant sending letters or postcards to friends and family.
U.S. Postal Service
Explore Yellowstone
In 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park in the world, and by the early 20th century, several parks had been established throughout the West. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act, integrating all of the existing national parks and monuments into one federal system. In honor of the centennial year of the National Park Service, the U.S. Postal Service released a collection of 16 stamps representing 16 national parks earlier this month. Each stamp features a photograph or painting of a landscape, animal, plant or monument significant to one of the 16 parks.
U.S. Postal Service
The stamps, designed by Ethel Kessler, are considered Forever stamps, meaning they can always be used to send First-Class Mail, no matter what the current postal rate is. You can purchase the stamps online or at your local post office. To see all of the stamps and learn more about the collection, visit the U.S. Postal Service and the National Park Service websites.
U.S. Postal Service
Learn About the Grand Canyon: A Great Grand Canyon Adventure
If you’re adventuring to any national parks this summer and want to share your experiences with friends, don’t stop at tagging your photos on social media; send a card, letter or postcard with your favorite national park stamp, too!
