Special moonbow envelope to be sold to celebrate 85 years of Kentucky Parks

The U.S. Postal Service and Cumberland Falls State Resort Park are teaming up to celebrate Cumberland Falls Moonbow – the only “rainbow at night” in the Western Hemisphere – in commemoration of 85 years of Kentucky Parks.  

To mark the event, USPS has created commemorative envelopes and a special cancellation designed by artist Ralph Bergmann. The envelope features a graphic illustration of the Moonbow and a postage stamp with a view of Cumberland Falls and the lunar rainbow. (Note: The First-Class stamp was intentionally left off the envelope pictured below for artistic purposes. All envelopes sold will have postage attached.)  

Corbin Post Office employees will apply the special cancellation to envelopes during Moonbow viewing beginning at 8 p.m., Nov. 3, weather permitting. The envelopes will be available for purchase until 10 p.m. at the Cumberland Falls Visitor’s Center, 7351 Highway 90. The envelopes will be sold at the gift shop and DuPont Lodge for $5.  

Prior to the event, Commissioner of Kentucky State Parks Gerry Van der Meer will speak. He will be joined by Deputy Commissioner of Kentucky State Parks Steve Brooks, Director of Resort Parks Kerry Lamb and Assistant Director of Resort Parks John Paul.   

Moonbows can be viewed at the Cumberland Falls five nights per month — during a full moon and two nights before and two nights after the full moon. Moonbows are caused by the reflection of light from the moon and can be observed under certain weather conditions – when the moon is near to full and the sky is clear. Moonbows can be seen at only two locations in the world – Cumberland Falls in Corbin and Victoria Falls on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe on the continent of Africa.    

For more information on the Moonbow at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, log onto www.parks.ky.gov  or call 1-800-325-0063.  

Mail order requests for the special cancellations will be available for 30 days beginning November 3. Customers should allow at least a 2-inch by 4-inch space in the stamp area for the postmark and have postage applied to cards or letters before mailing them — inside another envelope — to the Post Office.  

Send mail order requests to: Postmaster, Moonbow Station, 301 Roy Kidd Ave., Corbin, KY 40701-9998.