Colorado Wilderness Photographer John Fielder's Legacy Gets National Stage on Statehood Stamp

The United States Postal Service released a new Colorado Statehood Forever stamp on Jan. 24, featuring nature photographer John Fielder's "Foggy Jagged Mountain, Weminuche Wilderness" to commemorate the state's 150th anniversary. A first-day ceremony at History Colorado Center in Denver launched both the stamp and the "Mountains Majesty: On the Summit with John Fielder" exhibition. Art director Derry Noyes designed the stamp using Fielder's photograph.

The Postal Service printed 16 million Colorado Statehood stamps for nationwide distribution.

"The new Colorado Statehood stamp captures a glimpse of the majestic beauty of our 38th state so it can be shared and enjoyed by all of us across the country," said Amber McReynolds, chairwoman of the USPS Board of Governors. "As a Colorado resident, I see a state that embodies its pioneer spirit and comes together with a palpable sense of cooperation and community."

Fielder's photographs helped shape Colorado conservation policy, protecting ranchlands, open spaces, and wildlands across the state. His wilderness documentation drove passage of the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993.

Fielder championed the 1992 citizen initiative that created the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) trust fund, which has since protected approximately 2 million acres and invested $1.3 billion statewide.

Fielder donated his Colorado photography collection and career materials to History Colorado, which now curates the archive for exhibitions and research. Beyond his legislative influence, Fielder's career earned national recognition. He received the Sierra Club's Ansel Adams Award in 1993 and the Aldo Leopold Foundation Achievement Award in 2011.

Stamps are available at usps.com/shopstamps, post offices nationwide, and Amazon.