The Post Offices in Bridal Veil, Cascade Locks, Corbett, Hood River, Mosier, The Dalles and Troutdale, OR, will begin providing special postmarks beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 19, in conjunction with the issuance of the Postal Service’s new Columbia River Gorge Priority Mail Express™ postage stamp.
The seven postmarks depict a scene with the Bridge of the Gods spanning the Columbia River Gorge.
The new Priority Mail Express™ stamp depicts the majestic Columbia River Gorge as sunset approaches; stamp artist Dan Cosgrove used bold colors and dramatic shadows in the sun’s reflection off of the clouds, trees, and water to capture the grandeur of the Gorge.
Showing a view facing east, the stamp art captures the expansive beauty of the Columbia River as it winds its way through the steep cliffs of the Cascade Mountain Range. The historic Vista House, sitting atop Crown Point and overlooking the river 725 feet below, shimmers in the golden light of the setting sun. The Columbia River Gorge stamp is being issued at the Priority Mail Express™ price of $22.95.
All seven “Postmark America” postmarks will be available indefinitely at customers’ request every day each of the seven participating Post Offices is open. All that is needed to obtain the free postmark at each of the seven locations is a stamped envelope or card.
The Columbia River Gorge stamp will be officially issued on Sunday, Jan. 17, in Washington, DC. Customers interested in obtaining a First Day of Issue postmark for the stamp should purchase the stamp apply the stamp to an envelope or card and mail it inside another envelope to: Special Events, PO Box 92282, Washington DC 20090-2282. Requests must be received by March 16, 2016. The Columbia River Gorge stamp will be available for sale at Post Offices across the country and online at usps.com.
Expansive and breathtaking, the Columbia River Gorge is a natural wonder of the Pacific Northwest. Approximately 80 miles long and up to 4,000 feet deep, the gorge runs along the Columbia River, which forms part of the border between Oregon and Washington. On November 17, 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the National Scenic Area Act, creating the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
Formed by ancient volcanic activity, glacial flows, and massive ice age floods, the gorge where the Columbia River cuts through the Cascades consists of four major ecosystems. From east to west, arid grasslands with patches of high desert habitat give way to open pine-oak woodlands. These transition into a temperate rain forest, thick with evergreens and maples. Open wetlands and groves of cottonwood and ash occupy the western lowlands. Throughout the gorge, steep basalt cliffs covered in lichen and moss rise above the dramatically changing landscape, punctuated with increasingly frequent waterfalls in the much wetter western end of the gorge.
The diversity of the gorge’s landscapes makes it hospitable to a wide variety of plant and animal life. More than 800 species of wildflowers and flowering shrubs shroud the banks and cliffs surrounding the Columbia River in vibrant color. Peregrine falcons and other raptors nest along the gorge’s rim. Deer, black bears and beavers all find homes among the area’s varied habitats. The blue and silvery waters of the river teem with aquatic life, including native salmon populations.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
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