National Park Philatelists Rejoice: You Can Add A Stamp Honoring Dry Tortugas National Park to Your Collection!

Submitted by Kurt Repanshek on July 30, 2009 - 1:45am

While there was ample advance notice of U.S. postage stamps honoring Zion and Grand Teton national parks earlier this year, a stamp in honor of Dry Tortugas National Park slipped right by Traveler's notice.

Last Thursday the Postal Service released a stamp featuring the park's Fort Jefferson Lighthouse. It joins four other lighthouses – Matagorda Island, near Port O’Connor, Texas; Sabine Pass, near Sabine Pass, Louisiana; Biloxi, in Biloxi, Mississippi; and Sand Island, near the entrance to Mobile Bay in Mobile, Alabama – in the latest issuance of the Postal Service's popular lighthouse stamp series.

According to the National Park Service:

The Harbor Light on Garden Key in Dry Tortugas National Park was constructed in 1876 by the US Army Corps of Engineers. This light replaced the original Tortugas Harbor Light that was constructed in 1825 and was located within the parade ground of historic Fort Jefferson. The existing light is a hexagonal, wrought iron tower. The light is no longer an active aid to navigation but is still a contributing structure to the overall historic significance of Fort Jefferson and Dry Tortugas National Park.

After damage from the 2005 hurricanes, the National Park Service took this opportunity to replace non-historic windows with historically accurate shutters and doors. A historic preservation crew from Bandelier National Monument is currently finishing the installation of these shutters and doors in cooperation with the cultural resources staff of Dry Tortugas National Park.