U.S. Postal Service Celebrates 150 Years of West Virginia Statehood

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Jun 20, 2013, 02:00 ET

CHARLESTON, W.Va., June 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Postal Service today dedicated the West Virginia Statehood Forever Stamp on the steps of the Capitol Building commemorating the state's 150th anniversary.

Known as the Mountain State, West Virginia was admitted to the union on June 20, 1863, in the midst of the Civil War. West Virginia is one of only two states created during the war.

The stamp is now available for purchase at local Post Offices, online at www.usps.com/stamps or by calling 800- STAMP24 (800-782-6724). As a Forever Stamp, it is good for mailing a 1-ounce First-Class Mail letter anytime in the future regardless of price changes.

"The Postal Service is pleased to bestow this unique honor upon West Virginia," said General Counsel and Executive Vice President Thomas Marshall. "West Virginia has enhanced the greatness of America and has a special place in our nation's history. Blessed with great natural beauty of wind-swept mountains, waterfalls and picture-perfect landscapes, this state also has given the rest of America a deep reservoir of human talent and achievement, including Nobel and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Pearl Buck, sound-barrier breaking pilot Chuck Yeager, former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and Olympic gold medal gymnast Mary Lou Retton. We salute you West Virginia with this new commemorative Forever Stamp."

"I'm honored the Postal Service has partnered with us to commemorate the celebration of our state's sesquicentennial. The West Virginia Statehood Forever Stamp will provide people from around the globe an opportunity to experience West Virginia's natural beauty through this mountain vista in Pocahontas County. It's a little slice of 'Almost Heaven' that we can share with the world," said West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin, referencing the lyrics in John Denver's hit song, "Take Me Home, Country Roads."

Joining Marshall to help dedicate the new stamp were West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, Sens. John D. Rockefeller IV, and Joe Manchin, West Virginia Sesquicentennial Commission Chairman Kay Goodwin, and photographer Roger Spence.

West Virginia was previously honored on a U.S. postage stamp in 1963 and in 2002.

Customers can view the new stamp, as well as many of this year's other stamps, on Facebook at facebook.com/USPSStamps, on Twitter @USPSstamps or on the website Beyond the Perf at beyondtheperf.com/2013-preview. Beyond the Perf is the Postal Service's online site for information on upcoming stamp subjects, first-day-of-issue events and other philatelic news.

Ordering First-Day-of-Issue Postmark
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamps at local Post Offices, at usps.com/stamps or by calling 800-STAMP-24. They should apply the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes to themselves or others and place them in larger envelopes addressed to:

West Virginia Statehood Stamp
1002 Lee Street, E.
Charleston, WV 25301-9998

After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark for fewer than 50 requests. All orders must be postmarked by August 20.

Ordering First-Day Covers
The Postal Service also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog, online at usps.com/stamps or by calling 800-782-6724. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 800-782-6724 or writing to:

U.S. Postal Service
Catalog Request
PO Box 219014
Kansas City, MO 64121-9014

Philatelic Products
There are six philatelic products available:

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

About The U.S. Postal Service
A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation: 152 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With more than 31,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $65 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world's mail. If it were a private-sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 42nd in the 2012 Fortune 500. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency for seven years and the fourth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.

Follow the Postal Service on www.twitter.com/USPSstamps and at www.facebook.com/USPSStamps.

SOURCE U.S. Postal Service