The Postal Service will be dedicating the Maine Statehood stamp on Sunday, March 15 at the Augusta Armory, 179 Western Ave.

The picturesque rocky coastline of Maine has long inspired the imagination of writers and artists. American painter Edward Hopper (1882-1967) was among the many prominent artists who sought the tranquility of the state’s coastal towns during the summer. His painting “Sea at Ogunquit” (1914) captures the rugged beauty so characteristic of Maine and is being represented on the stamp, which art director Derry Noyes designed.

Maine’s Bicentennial Statehood stamp will become official from 1-3:30 p.m. during the Maine Statehood Ceremony.  Dedicating the stamp: Gov. Janet Mills and Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap with USPS Board of Governors secretary Michael Elston. Dedication ceremony attendees are encouraged to RSVP at usps.com/mainestatehood.

This is the second Edward Hopper painting to be used for a Maine Statehood stamp; in 1970, commemorating the 150th anniversary, that painting was “The Lighthouse at Two Lights, Maine.”

Maine celebrates its bicentennial in 2020, but its history of human habitation dates back some 12,000 years to the earliest Native Americans, who are now part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. During the Colonial period, Maine territory was disputed between Massachusetts Bay Colony and French Acadia, who sought allies among and warred against Native Americans. Following the Revolutionary War and ratification of the U.S. Constitution, the District of Maine remained part of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Maine became an independent state on March 15, 1820. Portland, the state’s largest city then and now, served as the capital until 1827 when the seat of government moved to Augusta, a more geographically central location.

The stamp, a 55-cent “Forever” stamp, will go into circulation on March 15. It is available for preorder online at usps.com, and it will be available in person at post offices.