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Monday September 6th 2004 This was a frustrating day. First, my lingering sleep deficit made it impossible to revisit Hampton House before it would close. No matter, it is relatively close to where I live. So, I went back to Delaware Water Gap NRA, where I was last July. The Dingmans Falls VC is now reopened. It is pretty nice, and the trail and falls nice too (except dogs aren't allowed). The stamp here is not on the master list:
*new* Delaware Water Gap NRA / SEP 06 2004 / Dingmans Falls, PA
Eastern National lists new stamps reading "Dingmans", "Dingmans Falls" and "Bushkill". I stopped at Dingmans Ferry access area and asked the ranger in the fee collecting booth about these new stamps. She didn't know, but gave me a number to call. I then stopped at the PA district ranger station. No one was there, but a ranger arrived soon enough. He knew nothing either, but radioed the person whose name I had gotten. He knew nothing either. Not sure where the new "Dingmans" only stamp went, though that was the text on a stamp I got at HQs last year.
I stopped at the Bushkill VC, but it was closed. Peering through the windows, it looks cleared out! Dingmans Falls is close and it is a much nicer VC, so perhaps Bushkill is now closed permanently? Though, if that is the case, why did Eastern National just report that a new Bushkill stamp was ordered? Boggles the mind.
Finally, I decided to check up on the Eastern, PA (sic) vs. Easton, PA situation of the Delaware & Lehigh NHC at Two Rivers Landing. I was here last July too, and got the old (incorrect stamp). Today, the same man who I asked for the stamp from last year was there again. He was a bit snippy when I asked about the "Easton" stamp, and said he never saw it. Across the hall where the canal displays are located, there is a desk where the Easton stamp *might* be found, but it is not, in their infinite genius, staffed on weekends or holidays. After all, what sort of tourists would want info on those days? (It's like the DC tourist info center in the Ronald Reagan building in DC, which I have not yet seen in 3 years of living here, because it is never open except non-holiday weekends.) More likely, the Easton stamp is at D&L HQs languishing somewhere in a you-must-take-a-day-of-vacation to get me sort of place. Sigh.
D & L National Heritage Corridor / SEP 06 / Eastern, PA (black ink, and the date has now expired--went to '03 I think)
Sunday September 5th 2004 I slept 12 hours straight, so missed my opportunity to go to the Prudence Crandall Museum or back to Sagamore Hill to get the two new stamps, which I had emailed to find out are in the main VC. So, I headed straight to NYC to finish off the Gateway NRA sites (my 3rd trip to this park). First I stopped at Canarsie Pier, where the visitor contact station was closed. I managed to find a ranger, who confirmed that no stamp is there at present, but maybe one will be there in the future, if the site (and also Plumb Beach) becomes more like a VC. I should have mentioned the very un-VC nature of the "Great Kills" and "Miller Field" stamps,. but didn't.
Next stop was Floyd Bennett Field, the site of NYC’s first municipal airport. It was fun driving around on the former runways. The (a?) Fuji Film blimp was moored here too. The deal with the stamp at present, is that there is only one stamp, but it moves back and forth between the visitor contact station near the entrance and the Ryan Visitor Center. On the day I visited, the stamp was at the contact station, and the VC was unstaffed.
Gateway NRA-Floyd Bennett Field / SEP 5 2004 / Brooklyn, NY
I then crossed the bridge ($2 toll both directions) to Ft. Tilden. The stamp is in the VC--easy to find. The deal with this stamp is that it rotates back and forth between the Fort Tilden VC and the contact station at Jacob Riis Park. Fortunately, it was at Ft. Tilden the day I visited, since Jacob Riis Park is about impossible to visit while traveling alone with a dog -- no dogs allowed, no dogs allowed in the $5 designated parking area, no driving down the boardwalk (oops!), etc.
Gateway National Recreation Area / SEP 05 2004 / Breezy Point, Fort Tilden, NY
I tried to drive down to Breezy Point for completeness, but a parade, lead by creepy looking clowns with a banner blocked the way, so I gave up. This gave me time to make a quick stop at Ft. Wadsworth, where the stamp had changed since last I visited in April 2003:
Gateway Nat'l Recreation Area / SEP 05 2004 / Ft. Wadsworth.
Saturday September 4th 2004 Over Labor Day weekend, I took another trip to visit parks and collect stamps. I left at 1:30 AM and arrived at Thomas Cole NHS a little before 10 when they opened. So I napped in my car a bit. I got a private tour, since no one else was around. They are renovating the Old Studio, which they plan to open soon. Then, they want to rebuild the New Studio. Now, only the house is open. The two volunteers didn't know anything about the stamp. Anticipating this based on reports here, I pulled out my info and suggest they check the desk of the intern. Alas, it was there, probably unused since Dick had it sent to him in July.
Thomas Cole National Historic Site / SEP 04 2004 / Catskill, NY
Next stop was Martin Van Buren NHS. The house (Lindenwald) is undergoing major reconstruction, which I got to see (another private tour!) while my dog waited outside the house. The VC here is in a glorified trailer. Was there once a more permanent VC here?!
Martin Van Buren National Historic Site / SEP 04 2004 / Kinderhook, NY
Last stop of the day was Springfield Armory NHS on the campus (sorta) of Springfield Technical Community College. The museum looked extensive, and I arrived just in time for the 1 hour, $12 second floor tour, but had to pass, before it was hot outside, and my dog was in the car. A ranger said it would be okay to tie her to a tree, but I didn't want to risk leaving her unattended that long. So, I only saw the inside briefly, then wondered around to see all the buildings. Two stamps:
Springfield Armory Nat. Hist. Site / SEP 04 2004 / Springfield, MA *new* self-inking NPS official emblem (black ink)
By this time I was dead tired, so crashed in my motel room in CT.
Sunday August 22nd, 2004 Slept in late, which was fortuitous, because the Wheeling VC of Wheeling NHA didn’t open til noon! I had some time to kill so wondered down to the Ohio River and around the downtown a bit. I obtained the following stamp:
Wheeling National Heritage Area / AUG 22 2004 / Wheeling, WV
Wheeling was named for the Indian word for "head"--apparently in reference to a head on a pole - a murder!! The woman on duty told me that hardly anyone ever asks for the stamp, but someone had asked for it two days prior to my visit (Aug 20th) and that that person was very particular about stamping his passport himself. Sounds like a signature trait of one of us. She looked through the visitors’ record book and it turned out to be minime8484 (Tristan)! (She let me do my own stamping too.) I then drove the LONG way back to DC so as to visit 8 counties in WV I had previously not visited, bringing my lifetime number of counties visited to 1592, or ~50.7%
Saturday August 21st, 2004 I was up in PA and WV this weekend stamp hunting.
First stop Saturday was Flight 93 National Memorial. I got there just after 9am in a steady rain. No one else was there except the volunteer ambassador who was in his car or in the temporary shelter. The quietude made the monument all the more poignant, I think. It somehow disconnected it from the present. Somehow the rain getting everything people have placed on the temporary memorial magnified the same effect. It was very touching. I was surprised to come across a www.parkstamps.org button that one of you had placed on the Memorial. The back of it is getting a little rusty. Stamp:
Flight 93 National Memorial / AUG 21 2004 / Pennsylvania
I then drove into Somerset and found the building where the NPS has an office. It is in a pleasant building in downtown Somerset with a health food store at the entrance. Not surprisingly, the office was closed, thereby nixing my attempt to get the duplicate FLNI stamp.
I then stopped at the office of Laurel Ridge SP, which is just off the road not so far from Somerset, so a very quick stop. I intended to get the Potomac Heritage NST stamp, which I recently learned was located here thanks to this site. It is supposed to be the generic type that is found at several other parks such as Prince William Forest Park and the GWMP HQs at Turkey Run. Unfortunately, the person working knew nothing about it. However, I left my name and number and was just called back by the regular ranger who works weekdays. She is sending me the stamp. She said she has had it a whole year and I’m the first to ask for it. Will confirm wording once I receive this one in the mail. Next stop was Rivers of Steel NHA in Homestead, PA at the Bost Building. This was another site where I was the only visitor around. They have a few exhibits and I watched a vintage film called “Rhapsody in Steel” which I recommend viewing. Three stamps here:
Rivers of Steel NHA / AUG 21 2004 / Homestead, PA Bonus: Rivers of Steel Logo (black ink, self-inking) NOT ON MASTER LIST Bonus: circular stamp with two circles, in between two circles: Rivers of Steel / National Heritage Area. In the center AUG 21 2004. This stamp looks similar to an official stamp except the doubled circles. You may have to ask for this stamp, since it was not on the counter with the other two.
I then went to some places in Pittsburgh that weren’t stamp related. Pittsburgh is my hometown, so I relived my childhood for a few hours.
Saturday August 7th, 2004 I revisited a few parks in my home area today. Reconfirming the stamp in the Visitors' Barn at Oxon Cove Park. The VC was CLOSED, but I was able to track a ranger down and he opened it. Reconfirming the Fort Washington and Fort Foote stamps outside the VC at Ft. Washington Park. The VC was CLOSED (on a Saturday afternoon in August!) so I could not reconfirm the 4 that are inside.
I went to Harmony Hall afterwards, to actually "earn" the HOHA stamp I got the last time I was at Ft. Washington in 2001. Harmony Hall can't be entered, but the grounds (which stretch down to the Potomac River) can be explored. The house seems to be in a bit of disrepair, and the rear side lot is full of neglect, and lots of weeds. I didn't see anyone around, but a few unabandoned cars were parked there.
To get to Harmony Hall from Ft. Washington Park: When leaving the Fort Washington Park, go straight along Ft. Washington Rd to the 3rd light (Livingston Rd.) and make a left. Almost immediately you will see the Harmony Hall Regional Center on your left. Park in its parking lot as far up the road on Livingston as possible (to minimize walking). There is a plaque which details the Broad Creek Historic District and has a map. You passed this on your left just before the Regional Center and you may want to walk over and read it, since it is the only interpretive signage you'll see regarding Harmony Hall.
Now, facing towards Livingston Rd while standing in the Harmony Hall Regional Center parking lot, turn to your left and walk along the road (carefully, not really a shoulder to walk on). You will soon come to a (white) gate and a (black) mailbox. The address is 10511 Livingston Rd. Most likely the gate will be locked to keep out cars, but you can walk past it on the left. Follow the dirt road and you will see Harmony Hall ahead on the right.
Finally, I went down to Prince William Forest Park and got these stamps at the VC that aren't on the master list:
Prince William Forest Park / AUG 07 2004 / Triangle, VA Potomac Heritage / AUG 07 2004 / National Scenic Trail
Sunday June 20th, 2004 First I visited Bluestone SP. I actually stayed here overnight. Picked up the WV VIPP stamp for Bluestone which simply reads "Bluestone" in black ink. I’ve been trying not to give in to my collecting impulses and starting to collect these stamps because I don’t really want to spend all my time visiting every state park in West Virginia!
Visited Bluestone NSR. As far as I can tell, this park cannot be reached by car. I drove to the end of the road in Bluestone SP and then hiked along a very muddy trail. Not too far in, I passed a (half-missing) sign stating that the trail could be used by people, horses, but not motorized vehicles with the NPS logo on it so I figured I was on Bluestone NSR land.
Drove through Hinton (again). This was Civil Wear Encampment weekend in honor of West Virginia’s Birthday. Monday June 21st is a holiday in WV, state offices are apparently all closed!
This is the new VC that opened in November 2003, replacing the Hinton VC which is now closed. 7) Bluefield National Scenic River / Glen Jean, WV / 4-digit date 8) Gauley River Nat’l Recreation Area / Glen Jean, WV / 4-digit date 9) New River Gorge National River / Glen Jean, WV / 4-digit date So to sum up, I found three variations of the Bluestone stamp, and two each of the Gauley River and New River Gorge stamps.
Saturday June 19th, 2004 I was in West Virginia this weekend stamping. Perfect weather! I visited Gauley River NRA. Since I am actually trying to set FOOT on all of the National Park Units, this one is a little tough. The only real point of access by vehicle is just downstream from Summerfield Dam. This is an Army Corps of Engineers built dam. The signage said that traditionally dams were named after the nearest town, but this was an exception to the rules because the nearest town was called Gad. Hehe.
Quick stop at Carnifex Ferry SP
Another quick stop at Hawks Nest SP
New River Gorge NR – for some reason you have to ask for the stampers at all of the VCs in this park. They don’t leave them setting out.
Canyon Rim VC 1) Bluefield National Scenic River / Glen Jean, WV / 4-digit date 2) Gauley River Nat’l Recreation Area / Glen Jean, WV / 2-digit date 3) New River Gorge National River / Glen Jean, WV / 2-digit date
Drove across the bridge and also down the canyon and back up the other side. Lots of fun.
Next, I went past the HQs in Glen Jean. They were, unsurprisingly closed, beings as it was a Saturday. I was impressed by the size however. Also, Glen Jean is a somewhat historic town, and the NPS has a few markers around, so worth stopping regardless of the day. I was sold by the ranger on duty at Thurmont Depot that the same three stamps available at all the other NERI VCs are also at the HQs. For some reason this isn’t noted on the Master List, and I cannot personally confirm.
Thurmond Depot 4) Bluefield National Scenic River / Glen Jean, WV / 4-digit date 5) Gauley River Nat’l Recreation Area / Glen Jean, WV / 4-digit date 6) New River Gorge National River / Glen Jean, WV / 4-digit date
Walked about here in a drizzle. Left via the McKendree road which is really not suitable for non-high clearance vehicles and so I put a few scratches on the front of my car.
Grandview VC 7) Bluefield Nat’l Scenic River / Glen Jean, WV / 2-digit date 8) Gauley River Nat’l Recreation Area / Glen Jean, WV / 2-digit date 9) New River Gorge National River / Glen Jean, WV / 4-digit date
Tuesday June 1st, 2004 In the main VC at Martin Luther King, Jr. NHS: 15) Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site / Atlanta, GA / 4-digit date
In Fire Station #6 (at the
bookstore counter, you must ask for it): There is only one stamp in Fire Station #6, not 2, as implied by the master list.
So…16 new stamps (11 unique), bringing my total to 341 unique stamps and 216 parks during this trip (May 28th to June 1st, 2004)
Monday May 31st, 2004 12) In the VC of New Echota SHP near Calhoun, GA:
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail / NC, GA, TN, KY, AL, IL, MO, OK, AR / 2-digit date (expired 2003) (black ink)
13) In the VC of Kennesaw Mountain NBP: Kennesaw Mountain Nat’l Battlefield Park / Kennesaw, GA / 4-digit date
14) At the VC in the Island
Ford Unit of Chattahoochee
River NRA:
I visited or attempted to visit most of the approximately 17 units that make up this park, which was an exercise in frustration due to traffic and the fact that several sites are located behind private subdivisions with no easy road access. There may be a stamp at Paces Mill, but unfortunately I made a wrong turn and missed it, and was pressed for time (and annoyed with traffic) to go back. However the ranger I spoke with at the Island Ford Unit said that the stamp there was the lone stamping location in this park.
Sunday May 30th, 2004 At the Point Park VC of Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP: 10) LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN UNIT /
LOOKOUT MTN, TN / 2-digit date (ALL CAPS)
At the Chickamauga Battlefield VC of Chickamauga and Chattanooga NMP: 11) Chickamauga & Chattanooga NMP / Chickamauga Battlefield VC / 4-digit date *first confirmation of a new stamp*
The old stamp with the Ft. Oglethorpe designation could not be found. One ranger told me it wore out and was thrown away. So it is either gone, or lost in a drawer somewhere. Either way, it should be considered retired.
Saturday May 29th, 2004 There are four different stamps
for Little River Canyon
National Preserve. This stamp is in possession of the roving interpretive ranger. I found him (and it) purely by chance at the Canyon Mouth Day Use Area. The stamper had last been used in October 2003! There is an entrance booth to this area. It was unmanned, but there were five rangers standing by it when I visited. The one I got the stamp from said that there is sometimes a stamp in the booth, which would be a FIFTH location for a LIRI stamp.
6) Little River Canyon National Preserve / Ft. Payne, AL / 4-digit date (small type) This stamp is at the Superintendent’s office just north of Ft. Payne. It was supposed to be closed on the day of my visit (a Saturday), but lucky for me, it was open.
7) *new* Little River Canyon
National Preserve / Ft. Payne, AL / 2-digit date
8) Little River Canyon Nat’l Preserve / Fort Payne, AL / 4-digit date This one in the Russell Cave NM VC along with: 9) Russell Cave National Monument / Bridgeport, AL / 4-digit date
Friday May 28th, 2004 Over the Memorial Day holiday I went on a National Park Visiting Trip to GA, AL, and TN.
At Tuskegee Institute NHS (Carver Museum): 1) Tuskegee Institute NHS / Tuskegee Institute, AL / 2-digit date 2) Selma to Montgomery NHT / Selma-Montgomery, AL 4-digit date
At the temporary VC at Tuskegee Airmen NHS: 3) Tuskegee Airmen Nat’l His Site / Tuskegee, AL / 4-digit date Note: “Hist” not “Hits” as currently on the master list.
At the Horseshoe Bend NMP VC: 4) Horseshoe Bend Nat’l Military Park / Tallapoosa County, AL / 2-digit date
Monday April 19th, 2004 I awoke to the sound of mosquitoes swarming outside my tent. I sprayed myself (not very well) with something containing the maximal amount of DEET allowable by law to be sold, and was happy that they left me alone. Don Austin picked me up at 10am, and I was back in Ocracoke by 10:30.
Even though I had just done it last August, I revisited the three Cape Hatteras NS VCs. All the stamps are the same. I also stopped in at Wright Brother NM which has the same 3 stamps, only now they are using a black ink pad.
Sunday April 18th, 2004 After camping overnight within sight of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse and its very neat lights, I was picked up and returned to Harkers Island by 10:30am I barely made the noon sailing of the car ferry between Cedar Island and Ocracoke.
Once in Ocracoke, I was alarmed that no one was around the dock that Rudy Austin uses to take people out to Portsmouth Village. I thought he was the only concessionaire to make this trip, but it turns out his brother Don is also a captain and after 15 minutes wait he arrived (by boat of course) and took me out. I was his only passenger (both ways) and paid $40 round trip.
I made it to Portsmouth Village about 4pm and was greatly relieved that there were no biting flies or mosquitoes about. I got the Portsmouth village stamp, which has an amusing note attached to it: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/bwbailey3/portsmouthstamppad.jpg Ironically, the Portsmouth VC seems to be open 24 hours a day in season, and even if locked, the volunteers are a little ways away and could be summoned to open it.
I missed the semi-annual Portsmouth Village homecoming by one day. The post office was supposed to have a one day special cancellation then. Supposedly, 400 people attended! I saw no one at all in the village for the 2 hours it took me to explore it, until near the very end when I saw a man in one of the houses (living there? NPS has a weird lease system in place there, and then the one live-in volunteer host).
Camping was about 2 miles away, across a tidal flat (fun crossing that with a dog and a bunch of gear, especially the quicksand!) At my intended camping area, I met up with a group already there that had kayaked over from Ocracoke (~3-4 miles away). One of them was 75, so I was duly impressed.
Saturday April 17th, 2004 I drove from about 2am until noon to get to Harkers Island VC of Cape Lookout National Seashore. I then went to Cape Lookout and the Keepers Quarters with the Calico Jack's concessionaire ferry service, arriving around 3:30pm. (I paid $26 total round trip including my dog and my camping gear.) The Keepers Quarters area was surprisingly crowded, mostly with day trippers. I had not realized it, but it possible to take a private vehicle over to Cape Lookout--no paved roads and thus you absolutely need a 4x4, but it is a possibility, albeit expensive.
I was at Cape Lookout NS this past weekend. I decided that April provided a narrow window of opportunity between the start of the summer season (and thus staffed sites) at the end of March, and the biting bugs, which are notorious here May-October. It was a good choice of time to go.
The Harkers Island, Keepers Quarters (+bonus stamp), and Portsmouth Village stamps are all as previously reported. Significant, in that they survived Hurricane Isabella last year intact. Actually, outside of the area just north of the town of Hatteras, I saw very little Hurricane damage.
Sunday March 28th, 2004 4) Sagamore Hill National Historic Site / Oyster Bay, NY / MAR 28 2004 Located inside the VC/Bookstore. I arrived for an 11am tour, fearful that I would miss out because the webpage implores arriving early due to limited tour size (14/tour, 200 max per day) and the popularity of the site. Anyways, my tour had all of 3 people + the guide. He said that they rarely have full tours before noon. Not sure if this applies to the summer season too.
5) Gateway NRA - Wildlife Refuge District / Queens, NY / MAR 28 2004 Located in the VC/bookstore. Amazing that this place is in NYC--I walked an hour and saw only a handful of people.
Saturday March 27th, 2004 I was in NY state this weekend visiting some NPS sites:
Eleanor Roosevelt NHS 1) Eleanor Roosevelt NHS / Hyde Park, NY / MAR 27 2004 Located in the bookstore
Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt NHS 2) Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt NHS / Hyde Park NY / MAR 27 2004 2b) Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum / Hyde Park, NY / MAR 27 2004 This is a self-stamping (blue ink) circular stamp for the FDR Library. Both stamps are in the bookstore inside the brand new Henry A. Wallace VC. (So new the landscaping isn't finished yet.)
Vanderbilt Mansion NHS 3) Vanderbilt Mansion NHS / Hyde Park, NY / MAR 27 2004 Located in the bookstore inside the Pavilion
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