| Arizona Statehood (Forever) Postage Stamp
With this Arizona Statehood (ForeverŪ) stamp, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates
the 100th anniversary of one of America's last frontiers. Arizona became the 48th state in the Union on February 14, 1912. Also known
as the "Grand Canyon State," it is home to 21 Native American tribes with ancient connections to a land known for its stunning beauty
and abundant natural resources.
The 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the U.S. - Mexican War, resulted in the United States
acquiring most of the land that makes up present-day Arizona. Although Congress made Arizona a U.S. territory in 1863, achieving statehood
would take nearly 50 years. Mineral riches and large federal irrigation projects helped transform the desert region into something
closer to an economic oasis. Today, more than six million people live in Arizona. Phoenix, the state capital, is the largest city
with approximately 1.5 million residents, followed by Tucson, which has a population of more than a half-million residents. Approximately
one quarter of the state is set aside for Indian reservations, including the Navajo Reservation, the largest in the United States.
Hispanics, part of the region's ethnic makeup since the 17th century, currently comprise 30 percent of the state's population.
The
stamp art features an original painting by Phoenix Native Ed Mell, who worked with art director Richard Sheaff on its design. The
stamp's painting features the colorful and much admired sandstone rock formations of Sedona, Arizona. This is the first stamp for
Mell, who is well known for his distinctive modernist renderings of the Southwest desert landscape.
Arizona Statehood is being issued
as a ForeverŪ stamp in self-adhesive sheets of 20. Forever stamps are always equal in value to the current First-Class Mail one-ounce
rate. |
