National Park Service (NPS) Passport Stamps

I was not familiar with this program – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park_Passport_Stamps (see also – https://www.eparks.com/store/content/923/Mobile-App/ – mobile apps for Apple and Android devices) offered by a nonprofit – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_National see also http://easternnational.org/, that partners with the National Park Service (NPS) – .

I came across the program when doing my Mississippi Mondays – Biloxi Mardi Gras Museum – Mississippi Mondays June 10, 2019 post for today indirectly as I was looking at the MSDeltaTop40 website – http://msdeltatop40.com/passport. Biloxi is not in the Mississippi Delta, but I use some templates for a few of my themes. With Mississippi Mondays, I use a variety of websites – Roadside America, Atlas Obscura, etc. However, I also use some Mississippi specific sites – may be city / town, county, regional (as in multi-state or regions within Mississippi), various Mississippi based organizations, newspapers. I do something similar for my other state or museum posts.

In this case, http://msdeltatop40.com/passport, I came across the Mississippi Delta program –

MDNHA Passport Program

As a National Park Service partner, the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area (MDNHA) participates in the Passport to Your National Parks program. MDNHA passport stations are located in each of the MDNHA’s 18 counties and are available through cultural, tourism, and municipal organizations. Passport stamp collectors who successfully gather stamps from all 18 counties are eligible to receive the MDNHA’s NPS Centennial Passport t-shirt as a prize for traveling the entire MDNHA. For the complete list of passport station locations, visit our website (or see link in the next paragraph).

Here’s the link to the map of where the various MDHNA Passport stamps can be collected – http://www.msdeltaheritage.com/passport-mdnha. Many of the places may sell the passports, but you can also order them online at https://www.eparks.com/product/22515/Passport-To-Your-National-Parks%C2%AE-Classic-Edition/ (not an affiliate link); price $9.95; shipping and handling charges (starting at $3.95): https://www.eparks.com/store/content/861/Shipping-and-Handling/.

From what I read, most of the 400+ NPS locations participate in the program. Each state or region within a state may offer something special if you visit all of the locations and get stamped.

Additional information can be found at https://www.parkstamps.org/. They offer two-week free access to the Master Database; after that, it’s restricted to dues paying members. Dues are only $10 for the first year and $5/year after the first year. You can also track your progress on the site. For paying members, they offer certificates and awards

As a NPTC member, you’ll be eligible to receive recognition of your progress in visiting the US National Park Service units. Awards include the Master Traveler Award, given annually to members who visit and collect stamps from a certain number of units a year, the Lifetime Achievement Award, awarded when a NPTC member visits 100, 200, 300, 400 or more units, and more!

It’s because of learning cool things like this program that I enjoy doing the state and museum themed posts.