PITTSBURGH – The Clarion Post Office, of the Western PA District of the U.S. Postal Service, will host a special unveiling of the Clarion River stamp at the Clarion Post Office on Wednesday, May 22, at 11 a.m. The unveiling will follow remarks from local and postal dignitaries.

The Clarion River stamp is one of the 12 Forever stamps among the collection of America’s Wild and Scenic Rivers deemed outstandingly remarkable for values including fish and wildlife, geology, recreation, and cultural or historical significance. They flow freely through natural settings without man-made alterations.

The Clarion River is a tributary of the Allegheny River, approximately 110 mi long, in west central Pennsylvania in the United States. It drains a rugged area of the Allegheny Plateau in the Ohio River watershed, flowing through narrow serpentine valleys and hardwood forests. The stamp artwork is from Photographer Bob Wick, BLM.

The pane of a dozen different designs features a portfolio of photographs that beautifully represent the more than 200 rivers or river segments designated within the Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Art director Derry Noyes designed the pane using existing photographs.

At bottom left on each stamp is the river name. The words “FOREVER” and “USA” appear at bottom right. All stamp type is in white in the same capitalized sans-serif font. The exquisite images are displayed on four rows of three stamps each, as listed below, reading from left to right on the pane.

Who:

Clarion Mayor Daniel Parker; Senator Scott Hutchinson (District 21); Clarion County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tracy Becker; Post Office Operations Manager Curtis Williams; and Clarion Postmaster Charles Chrispen.

What:

Unveiling of Clarion River Stamp as part of the Wild and Scenic River stamp series. The Wild and Scenic River Forever stamps will be on sale at the event.

When:

Wednesday, May 22, 2019 br> Event/unveiling begins at 11 a.m. .

Where:

Clarion Post Office
626 Main St.
Clarion, PA 16214

Why:

The special streams of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System are those deemed “outstandingly remarkable” in terms of “scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural” or other values. These rivers or segments are, in the words of the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, “allowed to remain in their free-flowing state and natural setting without man-made alterations.” The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act categorizes designated segments as either wild, scenic, or recreational. Wild rivers are undammed, unpolluted, generally accessible only by trail, and surrounded by “essentially primitive” shoreline although some may be “accessible in places by roads.” Designations often result from grassroots action by local citizens. With outdoor recreation increasingly popular in recent decades, Americans have sought out clean rivers—whether to swim or fish in gentle meanders or to raft or kayak through challenging rapids. Natural areas near rivers are rich with biodiverse habitats and are favored destinations for camping, hunting, hiking, climbing, and moments of reflection—resets that help counter the frenzied pace of modern life.

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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