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Post Office Releases 'O Beautiful' Forever Stamps
5 July 2018
The Post Office has released 20 new stamps in its O Beautiful Forever stamps series featuring American landscape photography. The new series was dedicated July 4.
"As we celebrate America's 242nd birthday, the United States Postal Service shines a spotlight on our country's unparalleled natural beauty with a pane of 20 stamps that corresponds with one of the nation's most beloved songs," said U.S. Postal Service Colorado Wyoming District Manager Kevin Romero.
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
Each stamp features a photograph that helps illustrate one of five phrases from the song's famous first verse: "Spacious Skies," "Waves of Grain," "Mountain Majesties," "The Fruited Plain," and "Sea to Shining Sea."
Spacious Skies
- Death Valley National Park, CA/NV, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Three Fingers Mountain in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, WA, photograph by Kevin Ebi
- Field in Kansas photograph by Sean Ramsey
- Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC/TN, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
Waves of Grain
- Field of wheat, WI, photograph by Larry Michael
- Plowed wheat fields, Palouse Hills, WA, photograph by Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott
- Grasslands Wildlife Management Area, Merced County, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Field of wheat, MT, photograph by Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott
Mountain Majesties
- Yosemite National Park, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Crater Lake National Park, OR, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, AZ/Utah photograph by David Muench
- Maroon Bells peaks in White River National Forest, CO, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
The Fruited Plain
- Sunrise near Orinda, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Pigeon Point near Pescadero, CA, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
- Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo County, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Livermore, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
Sea to Shining Sea
- Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, Kauai, HI, photograph by Timothy T. De La Vega
- Lone Ranch Beach, Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor, OR, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
- Canaveral National Seashore, FL, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
- Bailey Island, ME, photograph by Benjamin Williamson
Art director Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, MD, designed the pane using existing photographs.
FOREVER STAMPS
The O Beautiful stamps are being issued as Forever stamps, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.
For more information see the news release below.
Stunning Images from Maine to Hawaii to be Showcased on 'O Beautiful' Forever Stamps
WASHINGTON -- With the release of the O Beautiful Forever stamps on July 4, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates the beauty and majesty of the United States through 20 captivating images that visually represent one of the nation's most beloved songs, "America the Beautiful."
The stamps were dedicated in Colorado Springs, CO, at 7:30 p.m. MDT in Memorial Park as part of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic's July 4 Event -- Summer Symphony.
"As we celebrate America's 242nd birthday, the United States Postal Service shines a spotlight on our country's unparalleled natural beauty with a pane of 20 stamps that corresponds with one of the nation's most beloved songs," said U.S. Postal Service Colorado Wyoming District Manager Kevin Romero.
From Bailey Island on the coast of Maine to the rugged cliffs of Na[!]pali Coast State Wilderness Park in Hawaii, the O Beautiful Forever stamps showcase the country's extraordinary natural beauty.
Each stamp features a photograph that helps illustrate one of five phrases from the song's famous first verse: "Spacious Skies," "Waves of Grain," "Mountain Majesties," "The Fruited Plain," and "Sea to Shining Sea."
The stamps include a national seashore, national parks, state parks, parks managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. The stamps highlight some of the nation's hidden gems, such as wheat fields in Wisconsin and Montana and the lush, fertile landscape surrounding Orinda, CA. The stamps also celebrate the country's ephemeral wonders, including a double rainbow arching over a Kansas field, the aurora borealis lighting up Three Fingers Mountain in Washington and a quietly stunning spring sunset over the green hills of Livermore, CA.
America the Beautiful
First published as a poem on July 4, 1895, "America the Beautiful" was written by poet Katharine Lee Bates (1859 to 1929) and set to the music of "Materna," a melody composed by Samuel Augustus Ward (1848 to 1903). Considered by many to be the country's unofficial national anthem, the song consists of four verses, each punctuated by the anthemic cry "America! America!" Today it remains one of the country's most popular patriotic songs.
Stamp Rows Themed to 'O Beautiful' and Locations of Stamp Images
Each row of the 20-stamp pane illustrates one of five phrases from the song "America the Beautiful" famous first verses: "Spacious Skies" (top row), "Waves of Grain" (second row), "Mountain Majesties" (third row), "The Fruited Plain" (fourth row) and "Sea to Shining Sea" (bottom row). Each of the five phrases appears to the left of the row of stamps to which it applies.
Spacious Skies
Death Valley National Park, CA/NV, photograph by Gary Crabbe
Three Fingers Mountain in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, WA, photograph by Kevin Ebi
Field in Kansas photograph by Sean Ramsey
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, NC/TN, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
Waves of Grain
- Field of wheat, WI, photograph by Larry Michael
- Plowed wheat fields, Palouse Hills, WA, photograph by Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott
- Grasslands Wildlife Management Area, Merced County, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Field of wheat, MT, photograph by Yva Momatiuk and John Eastcott
Mountain Majesties
- Yosemite National Park, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Crater Lake National Park, OR, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, AZ/Utah photograph by David Muench
- Maroon Bells peaks in White River National Forest, CO, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
The Fruited Plain
- Sunrise near Orinda, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Pigeon Point near Pescadero, CA, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
- Edna Valley, San Luis Obispo County, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
- Livermore, CA, photograph by Gary Crabbe
Sea to Shining Sea
- Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, Kauai, HI, photograph by Timothy T. De La Vega
- Lone Ranch Beach, Samuel H. Boardman Scenic Corridor, OR, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
- Canaveral National Seashore, FL, photograph by Tim Fitzharris
- Bailey Island, ME, photograph by Benjamin Williamson
Art director Ethel Kessler of Bethesda, MD, designed the pane using existing photographs.
The O Beautiful stamps are being issued as Forever stamps, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce price.
Stamp Ideas Welcome
The public is encouraged to submit stamp suggestions. Visit this link for details on the stamp selection process and instructions for submitting suggestions in writing. Due to the time required for research and approval, ideas for stamp subjects should be received at least three years prior to proposed release. Each submission should include pertinent historical information and important dates associated with the subject.