Only USPS could squeeze a place called Big Bend onto a postage stamp.
The new Priority Mail stamp featuring the West Texas region was celebrated this month at a special dedication ceremony where local community leaders and others praised the stamp’s image of the famed Santa Elena Canyon.
“This stamp beautifully depicts … one of Big Bend National Park’s most iconic landmarks,” Bob Krumenaker, the park’s superintendent, told attendees.
The ceremony, held inside the park’s visitor’s center, featured remarks from Krumenaker and local postal leaders who expressed their pride in having Big Bend appear on a stamp.
“From this day forward, this lovely new stamp … will travel on Priority Mail shipments to millions of households and businesses throughout the country,” said Adrienne Marshall, marketing manager for the Postal Service’s Rio Grande District.
Big Bend, which derives its name from the “turn” the region takes along the Rio Grande River, is one of the largest landscapes in the American Southwest. The area includes the 1,250-square-mile Big Bend National Park, which is bigger than Rhode Island.
The Priority Mail stamp featuring Big Bend showcases a digital illustration by Dan Cosgrove and is available at Post Offices nationwide and usps.com.
In addition to celebrating the stamp, the Jan. 18 ceremony allowed the community to show its appreciation for local postal workers.
Said Krumenaker: “We … greatly appreciate the everyday partnership with the Big Bend National Park Post Office, which adds greatly to this remote community.”