The United States Postal Service celebrates the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service issuing 16 new stamps honoring a few of the nation’s 411 parks. Acadia National Park’s Bass Harbor Head Light, Arches National Park, Carlsbad Caverns and (insert personal commentary – best of all) the wild horses of the Assateague Island National Seashore were among the destinations selected.
“The National Park Service exemplifies our collective desire to preserve our connection to the land, nature and our heritage, and to maintain what we find beautiful in our world for the benefit of future generations,” said Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan.
The Assateague park welcomes about 2.3 million guests each year making it one of the nationals most popular destinations. The success of the park is attributed to its most famous residents – the wild horses.
“Everyone comes here for the horses,” Park Superintendent Deborah Darden said. “So many people read ‘Misty of Chincoteague’ as a young child and have loved these horses from afar and near.
The stamp features a calm, familiar site for the East shore residents, wild horses grazing in the island marsh at sunset. The wild horse stamp is a photograph by Tim Fitzharris, Arkansas.
For Darden, the stamp means more than recognition. She is most excited to share the wonders she gets to experience daily with people everywhere.
“It makes us part of the history of the centennial, which we really love, but also, I like to think about the millions of people who will use this stamp and get a little moment where they think about Assateague, and they can feel the same love for the park that we do.”
The first-day-of-issue ceremony took place on June 2 at the World Stamp Show in NYC.
And what do the wild horse residents of Assateague Island think of all the hoopla?
Edited from the following sources: http://www.delmarvanow.com, https://weather.com
