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Friday June 13th, 2003 I had some time this afternoon, so I went to Harpers Ferry and confirmed that the Stephen T. Mather Training Center stamp is (still) available. It is an official passport stamp. I have uploaded its picture to this site and its location. This makes 5 stamps available in Harpers Ferry, at 4 locations. After getting the stamp, I walked around the Harpers Ferry Center campus and pretended that I worked there. This is where all the interpretive brochures and markers for NPS sites are designed. I asked, but there is no stamp available for Harpers Ferry Center itself. The guy I talked to, however, thought it was a good idea.
Sunday June 1st, 2003 I got the new DC stamps that were recently added to the Eastern National checklist today. These stamps are: 1) George Mason Memorial / Washington, D.C. 2) Ulysses S. Grant Memorial / Washington, D.C. 3) District of Columbia World War Memorial / Washington, D.C. 4) John Paul Jones Memorial / Washington, D.C. 5) MEM to the 56 Signers of the Dec. of Independence / Washington, D.C. 6) John Ericsson Memorial / Washington, D.C.
Some of them had a blackish tinge because when they arrived, the boxes were stamped using a black ink pad. I talked to the ranger that ordered them, and he said he thought only one other person had gotten them so far...
That's because they are not out yet, you have to ask for them. They are at the Survey Lodge, but locked away somewhere that apparently only a few people have keys to. Luckily for me, one of those people happened to come in as I was there asking about the stamps. The ranger told me they haven't put them out yet because they don't have enough counter space. He said they are going to make some sort of stand for them (+ the dozen or so other stampers kept here).
The WWII Memorial Stamper isn't being made available yet. When the monument opens next May, it will be available at the Survey Lodge too, as well as at a kiosk that is being built by the new memorial. Since I hadn't been to them before, I went to #s 3 (statue) ,4 (rather elaborate, off the beaten path), and 6 (statue).
Other stamps I can update locations on as of today (June 1, 2003): Available at the 490 foot level of the Washington Memorial: 7) Washington Monument / Washington, D.C. 8) National Capital Region / Washington, D.C. 9) National Mall / Washington, D.C. 10) A green, self-inking stamp depicting the Washington Memorial in silhouette from a distance and reading "Washington Monument / MY VISIT"
Available at the kiosk South of the Lincoln Memorial: 11) Korean War Veterans Memorial / Washington, DC
Available at the kiosk North of the Lincoln Memorial: 12) Vietnam Veterans Memorial / Washington, D.C. 13) Constitution Gardens / Washington, D.C.
Available at the (always crowded) bookstore to your left (when facing Lincoln) in the Lincoln Memorial: 14) Lincoln Memorial / Washington, DC 15) Vietnam Veterans Memorial / Washington, DC 16) Constitution Gardens / Washington, DC 17) Korean War Veterans Memorial, Washington, DC
There are some minor differences between some of these stamps, so if you collect every variety, it's best to go to every stamper location.
Saturday, May 24th, 2003 I got the famous outdoor stamp at the Obed WSR VC in Wartburg. It is falling apart (cracked and some of the digits for the ones place of the day of the month are missing), so it may not be around much longer, not it's drying black ink pad. Fortunately, the same stamp with purple pad is available inside. 4) Obed Wild and Scenic River / Wartburg, TN 5) Obed Wild and Scenic River / Wartburg, TN
I checked out Lilly Bridge and Nemo areas of the park, then drove a few hours to Cumberland Gap NHP. I had been here a few years ago, before i started collecting the passport stamps, so I didn't visit too long. One stamp and purple ink pad available at the VC: 6) Cumberland Gap NHP / Middlesboro, KY
Friday May 23rd, 2003 I was able to get away for a few days over the Memorial Day weekend. To maximize time, I drove 12 hours overnight after working on Thursday, and thus had all of Friday in parks. (extra day is worth being tired). I spent the whole day at Big South Fork NRRA. Huge park; It would really better be seen over a few days. At the VC near Stearns, KY there are two stamps (and at present an over-inked purple stamp pad):
1) Big South Fork Nat'l River & Rec Area / Stearns, KY 2) Big South Fork NRRA / Blue Heron
I arrived too late to take the train to Blue Heron mining community, so I drove there instead....this had the advantage of it being very peaceful after the train and most of the people left. There is a lot to see here; Several hours easily could be spent here if time is available. The coal tipple is especially neat, and you can walk across the river on top of it. I then went to the TN portion of the park, which is about a 1 hour drive (to the VC) and got another stamp:
3) Big South Fork Nat'l River & Rec Area / Oneida, TN
I then went and briefly saw the historic reconstructed town of Rugby, hiked a neat trail to a quiet place in the park called Gentlemen's Swimming Hole, and camped overnight at Frozen Head State Park.
Friday April 18th, 2003 I had to take Friday off in order to do this trip, one that I originally had planned to do over a year ago, but cancelled due to a snowstorm. None of these sites are particularly exotic, but hopefully there will be at least some useful information below:
I left the DC area about 6 AM. First stop was the New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Ranger Office between Newport and Fortescue, NJ. I had previously called the Bridgeton-Cumberland Travel Center (on the way), but they still do not have stamps, after their old ones disappeared during recent renovations. The woman I spoke with thought that they had ordered new ones last summer and that they still hadn't arrived....that seems like a long wait to receive new stamps! Anyways, at the NJ Coastal Heritage Trail Ranger Office I was the first person since January apparently to get the following 4 stamps:
1) Maurice Scenic and Recreational River / New Jersey 2) New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route / 3) PINELANDS NATIONAL RESERVE / NEW JERSEY 4) Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Recreational River / New Jersey
Next, I drove across the Maurice SRR and stopped and dipped my finger into it, just so it couldn't be claimed I got the stamp without visiting it.
After that, the next stop was the Warren Fox Nature Center in Atlantic County Park (Estell Manor). This was a nice park, and almost empty besides the two employees in the Nature Center. Unfortunately, no stamps to be found here. I believe that their old Great Egg Harbor SRR stamper did not have a 2003 date, and they got rid of it and ordered a new one. I don't know why they didn't keep the older stamper available until a new one arrived, but they didn't. I stopped at the Great Egg Harbor River too, and dipped a finger in.
I camped overnight at a place called Turkey Swamp, part of a county park in Monmouth County NJ. Apart from the high cost just to pitch a tent off-season ($26), it was a nice facility and the park has a nice lake.
Saturday April 19th, 2003 First stop on this day was Gateway NRA, Sandy Hook Unit. At the Spermaceti Cove VC I got three stamps:
5) Gateway Nat'l Rec. Area - Sandy Hook / Highlands, NJ 6) New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route / [slightly different than (2)] 7) a bonus stamp depicting Sandy Hook Lighthouse with the text "Sandy Hook Light NJ"
Sandy Hook was a ghost town, even though the weather was nice. The highlight was the lighthouse tour (oldest lighthouse in the US). The bonus stamp (6) is also available by the lighthouse. Currently tours are operating from the firehouse, as the Keepers Quarters are currently being renovated.
I drove onto Staten Island next ($6 toll). First stop there was Great Kills Park. The stamp was at the contact station.
8) Gateway NRA - Great Kills Park / Staten Island, NY
I was surprised how much open space there was at this park. It was actually quite peaceful, even though there were a lot of people there. From here, it was a short drive to Miller Field, where the Contact station had the stamp:
9) Gateway NRA - Miller Field / Staten Island, NY
The final stop of the day was Ft. Wadsworth, where, despite the sign reading "100% ID check" at the gate, the bored looking ranger didn't ask for ID. What a difference Orange versus Yellow or whatever the colors are makes. I got a personal tour of the interior of the fort, as there were very, very few visitors when I was there. The interior of the fort was one of the most interesting I have seen, and reminded me more of 12th century subterranean catacombs than anything else.
10) GATEWAY NAT'L RECREATION AREA / FT. WADSWORTH
I stayed overnight near Morristown.
Sunday April 20th, 2004 First stop on this Easter day was Washington's HQ in Morristown NHP where I got the stamp: 11) Morristown Nat'l Historical Park / Morristown, NJ Also in Morristown, at the VC in Jockey Hollow:
12) Morristown NHP-Jockey Hollow / Morristown, NJ
I was unable to purchase the 2003 stamp set in Morristown (which is the featured mid-Atlantic stamp for 2003). As a challenge, I try to buy each year's set at one of the sites featured in the set.
Saturday March 29th, 2003 Just got the Corps of Discovery II stamp today at Harpers Ferry. I posted an image of it at [ http://www.parkstamps.org]. There is also an official USPS cancellation stamp I got in part of the exhibit called the "Bicentennial Tent" which shows a circular dated postal cancellation for Harpers Ferry and a picture of Meriwether Lewis and "1803-2003 Meriwether Lewis Station". Also, the US Army Corps of Engineers was giving out a commemorative Lewis & Clark sticker. Also confirmed today my suspicion that there are two different sites to get the Harpers Ferry Stamp, and both are different: 1) Cavalier Heights VC: Harpers Ferry, NHP / Harpers
Ferry, WV (blue ink) 2) Lower Town Info Center: Harpers Ferry / National Historical Park (turquoise ink) Strange that this second one doesn't include city or state, but it is official.
March 1st-10th, 2003 I just got back from a week in South Texas. Part of it was work related, so I had only 4 days to visit parks. San Antonio Missions NHS Each of the four Missions has a VC and a bonus stamp depicting the Mission church. The official stamp was available at 3 of 4 sites, but each was slightly different: 1) Mission Conception - red bonus stamp San Antonio Missions Nat'l Hist Park / San Antonio, TX 2) Mission Espada - purple bonus stamp San Antonio Missions NHP / San Antonio, TX 3) Mission San Juan - green bonus stamp no official stamp - only a self-inking stamp with date only in black ink 4) Mission San Jose - blue bonus stamp SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NAT'L HIST. PARK / SAN ANTONIO, TX 5) There is also a site called "Rancho de las Cabras" that is 30 miles or so away. It is opened only 1 Saturday day/month currently. It may eventually have a stamp 6) There is also a non-official stamp at the Alamo that you must ask for (in the Alamo itself, not the bookstore) (Craig, let me know if you'd still like me to send you this one)
Padre Island National Seashore The only stamp I got or know of is at the Malaquite Beach VC: Padre Island National Seashore / Corpus Christi, TX It was interesting to visit this park when almost no one was around. It reminded me a lot of the Maryland part of Assateague Island in late April or early May
Palo Alto Battlefield NHS Palo Alto Battlefield NHS / Brownsville, TX The site itself was a BUSY construction scene the day I visited (March 6th) and technically was off limits. I pulled into the unpaved lot anyways and saw what I could, which basically was just a few interpretive markers at this point. There is a cannon and a commemorative plaque a little down the road too. The stamp is at the VC in a bank building in a suburban part of Brownsville. The VC had a decent film and a number of exhibits. Overall, I would recommend delaying visitation to this site until at least late 2003 or 2004 (when the new on-site VC is projected to be finished).
Lyndon Baines Johnson NHP two sites an 2 stamps: 1) In Johnson City Lyndon Baines Johnson NHP / Johnson City, TX 2) In the State Park where the Ranch tours begin/end Lyndon B. Johnson NHP / LBJ
Ranch, TX
Sunday December 29th, 2002 My holiday trip included just one affiliated park, Green Springs Historic Landmark District in central VA. No interpretive signs here--just a lot of old farm buildings and fields. I was hoping there would be some info at the "Maddox Store" located at a crossroads called "Poindexter", since the NPS webpage says there is a brochure available there. No such luck however, and the Maddox Store appears semi-abandoned, and was certainly closed when I was there on Sunday afternoon. There is a holder for Green Springs brochures on the front of the store, but from the looks of it, none had been in it for a while. For the Green Springs stamp, you have to go to Shenandoah NP and contact Rick Childs. I did this back in May, and once I tracked him down, he agreed to leave the stamp at one of the entrance stations so I could get it. It took me 2 days to get it however, so try to stay overnight in the area or plan really well in order to make sure you get this difficult stamp the first trip.
November 2002 Just got back from a great trip to the Virgin Islands.
Stamps reading: Salt River Bay NHP - Christiansted, St. Croix, VI Buck Island Reef National Monument - C'Sted St. Croix, USVI Christiansted National Historic Site, C'sted St. Croix, USVI are available at the Scale House and the Fort, both at Christiansted NHS.
Salt River NHP has no facilities or even interpretive markers yet. The NPS did recently buy an old house that it plans to convert into a VC.
Virgin Islands NP V.I. National Park - St. John, V.I. is available at the Cruz Bay VC, and the Eastern National Kiosk at Trunk Bay (possibly also at the NPS kiosk at Trunk Bay where you pay too). No stamp at Annaberg anymore...but all stamps were 100% identical anyways.
No stamp yet for Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument. I only count that I visited it because a ferry boat I took (St. Johns to Tortola) went through a tiny portion of the park.
oh yeah, Virgin Islands National park has made up a special paper reading "Oops,...... [space for stamp] I forgot to bring my National Park Passport To Virgin Islands National Park St. John, VI Anyone know of any other parks that have made something like this up for forgetful (and or less serious) stamp collectors? |