U.S. Postal Service commemorates Kentucky Parks and Moonbow

Commemorative envelope, special cancellation mark unusual phenomenon

October 29, 2009 



Cumberland Falls Moonbow image

CORBIN, KY—The U.S. Postal Service and Cumberland Falls State Resort Park are teaming up to celebrate Cumberland Falls Moonbow – the only “rainbow at night” in the Western Hemisphere – in commemoration of 85 years of Kentucky Parks.

To mark the event, USPS has created commemorative envelopes and a special cancellation designed by artist Ralph Bergmann. The envelope features a graphic illustration of the Moonbow and a postage stamp with a view of Cumberland Falls and the lunar rainbow. (Note: The First-Class stamp was intentionally left off the envelope pictured below for artistic purposes. All envelopes sold will have postage attached.)

Corbin Post Office employees will apply the special cancellation to envelopes during Moonbow viewing beginning at 8 p.m., Nov. 3, weather permitting. The envelopes will be available for purchase until 10 p.m. at the Cumberland Falls Visitor’s Center, 7351 Highway 90. The envelopes will be sold at the gift shop and DuPont Lodge for $5.

Prior to the event, Commissioner of Kentucky State Parks Gerry Van der Meer will speak. He will be joined by Deputy Commissioner of Kentucky State Parks Steve Brooks, Director of Resort Parks Kerry Lamb and Assistant Director of Resort Parks John Paul.

Moonbows can be viewed at the Cumberland Falls five nights per month — during a full moon and two nights before and two nights after the full moon. Moonbows are caused by the reflection of light from the moon and can be observed under certain weather conditions – when the moon is near to full and the sky is clear. Moonbows can be seen at only two locations in the world – Cumberland Falls in Corbin and Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe on the continent of Africa.

For more information on the Moonbow at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, log onto www.parks.ky.gov or call 1-800-325-0063.

Mail order requests for the special cancellations will be available for 30 days beginning November 3. Customers should allow at least a 2-inch by 4-inch space in the stamp area for the postmark and have postage applied to cards or letters before mailing them — inside another envelope — to the Post Office.

Send mail order requests to: Postmaster, Moonbow Station, 301 Roy Kidd Ave., Corbin, KY 40701-9998.

Moonbow Station Nov. 3, 2009 Corbin, KY 40701

About the artist

Graphic designer Ralph Bergmann is known for his talent in several mediums — print and electronic to way-finding and exhibit design. Bergmann graduated cum laude from Western Kentucky University and attended the masters programs at Pratt Institute of New York and the University of Houston.

Bergmann has worked for several agencies as well as forming his own design firms. The award winning graphic artist also has been featured in several publications including How Magazine and Graphics.

Some of his clients include the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, the Louisville Zoo, Bruce Fox, Mary Anderson Center, K. D. Stearley Publications, Architectural Glass Art, Home of the Innocents, Waldorf School of Louisville and the August Moon.

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Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/welcome.htm.

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.

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