02/26/2022
STAMP CLUB TIES CONNECTICUT'S ONLY NATIONAL PARK TO 150th ANNIVERSARY OF NATION'S FIRST NATIONAL PARK
NORWALK, Connecticut – Connecticut’s new connection to America’s national parks will be celebrated at the Norwalk Stamp Club annual exhibition on March 12. The show, known as NORPEX, will take place at the Norwalk Senior Center, 11 Allen Road, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Club co-commemorates the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park as the nation’s first national park and Weir Farm in Wilton, designated a National Historic Park in 2021. The 68-acre Weir Farm served as the unofficial home to American impressionist painters and still inspires artists.
Famed stamp designer Chris Calle of Ridgefield created the show cover, as well as a second, limited-edition cover depicting the U.S. mint’s 2020 Connecticut state quarter with Weir Farm on the obverse. Since the bison is the National Parks Service symbol of unity, resilience, healthy landscapes and communities, a bison cancellation will be applied to both cachets.
“Postage stamps are known as miniature works of art,” said stamp club president Michael Clark, “so it is fitting that we honor the local center of the Impressionist movement as our nation’s newest national park. And much of our country’s natural beauty has been protected in national parks, which have been featured prominently on U.S. stamps.”
President Theodore Roosevelt, whose image also appears on the cachet, established five national parks, 150 national forests, 51 federal bird reserves, four national game preserves, and 18 national monuments during his administration.
Julian Alden Weir (1752-1919) was one of the founders of the impressionist tradition in American art. Weir Farm National Historical Park is one of only two sites within the national park system that focuses primarily on the visual arts. It is open from May through October. The Friends of Weir Farm National Historic Park will be on hand to share information about this unique destination.
The NORPEX stamp show, the longest-running stamp show in the region, features dealers from across the northeast with stamps, envelopes and supplies to serve the needs of collectors. Dealers with hundreds of thousands of stamps and other philatelic material will have booths to serve collectors. The Postal Service will sell current commemorative stamps. Special displays will feature a history of Norwalk Oyster Festival souvenir covers, an exhibit on Siege of Paris balloon mail, and a collection acquired “wirelessly” by an amateur radio operator.
Members of the club will evaluate collections from members of the public.
NORPEX commemorative covers are available for $3. Those ordering by mail can send a self-addressed stamped envelope with a check payable to the Norwalk Stamp Club: P O Box 267-N, Norwalk CT 06856-0267.
The Norwalk Stamp Club, founded in 1962, meets at 8 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month excluding July and August at the Norwalk Senior Center. For special events, such as the Norwalk Oyster Festival and the annual NORPEX exhibit, the club produces souvenir collectible cachets commemorating a local topic or event. More information on the web at www.Norwalkstampclub.com.
