Honoring Oregon’s Sesquicentennial

Portland’s World Forestry Center to Host Jan. 14, 2009, First Day of Issue Ceremony for Oregon Statehood Stamp

PORTLAND, OR —The United States Postal Service will release the Oregon Statehood commemorative stamp on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2009, at an 11 a.m. dedication ceremony at the World Forestry Center at Washington Park.

The collectible “First Day of Issue” postmark coveted by stamp collectors will be available at the Portland event.  On the same day, the new Oregon stamps will be available at more than 300 Oregon Post Offices statewide, with a special pictorial postmark issued in each community to celebrate the stamp’s issuance.   

The World Forestry Center, home to the Discovery Museum, is a non-profit educational organization with a mission to educate people about the world's forests and trees. The Postal Service is hosting the First Day of Issue ceremony there in cooperation with Oregon 150, the non-profit organization behind Oregon’s official year-long sesquicentennial celebration.

The new stamp commemorates the 150th anniversary of Oregon’s statehood. Oregon was officially welcomed as the 33rd state in the Union on Feb. 14, 1859.

Stamp artist Gregory Manchess of Beaverton was inspired by his own experiences along the Pacific coast to create the painting for the stamp. The result is an evocative piece that incorporates several elements of the coastline — trees, rocks, cliffs, and pounding surf — but does not illustrate a specific place.

“I wanted to make it an icon, an impression of what the shoreline feels like when you look at the stamp,” said the artist of his first Postal Service stamp design. Manchess’ art has been featured on covers for Time, National Geographic and Atlantic Monthly, as well as countless book covers and advertising campaigns.

 “We are proud to have this stamp represent our state. It truly captures the beauty of Oregon,” said Governor Ted Kulongoski. “The stamp shows the landscape Oregon is renowned for, and is an Oregon sesquicentennial treasure that families can pass down to their children for years to come.”