USPS Honors Sarah Orne Jewett With New Literary Arts Stamp

The U.S. Postal Service has issued a new stamp honoring American author Sarah Orne Jewett, marking the 35th entry in its Literary Arts series.

The stamp was dedicated August 21 at the Sarah Orne Jewett Literary House in South Berwick, Maine, where Jewett spent most of her life. Best known for writing about the people and landscapes of New England, Jewett lived from 1849 to 1909 and became one of the leading voices of American literary regionalism.

The new design features an original portrait of Jewett against a Maine coastal backdrop, with sunlight breaking through the scene. USPS said the imagery was inspired in part by “The Country of the Pointed Firs,” the 1896 work most closely associated with her career. Artist Mark Summers created the portrait, while Ethel Kessler served as art director for the issue.

“Sarah Orne Jewett is the premier historical icon of South Berwick, and her writings captured 19th-century New England life. I have personally read her moving work and it is an honor to have her stamp unveiled in our community today,” said South Berwick Postmaster Matthew Kirksey. “This stamp proudly ensures her timeless literary legacy continues to resonate across the nation and right here at home.”

Unlike a standard Forever stamp, the Sarah Orne Jewett stamp is intended for the 3-ounce First-Class Mail rate. “THREE OUNCE” appears directly on the design, and the stamp will continue to cover that rate even if postage prices increase in the future. The stamps are being sold in panes of 20 through Post Offices and USPS.

Jewett began publishing before she turned 20 and was an established writer by 1880. Over the course of her career, she produced hundreds of short stories along with poetry, essays and about 18 novels. Much of that work drew directly from life in 19th-century Maine and the wider New England region. Her writing career effectively ended after a 1902 accident, though she remained involved in the literary world and later mentored younger writers, including Willa Cather.