About This Stamp
Author Bret Harte (1836–1902) earned a reputation for spending long hours deliberating over and editing his works, believing that no work should be published until he had made it absolutely as good as it could be. His vivid stories of the "Old West" and their memorable characters made him an instant success among readers, shaping the way many easterners imagined the vast region beyond the Missouri.
The Postal Service honored Bret Hart in 1987 by issuing this definitive stamp in its Great Americans series. Arthur Lidov of Poughquaq, New York, designed the stamp.
First Day of Issue Ceremony
First Day of Issue Date: August 25, 1987
First Day of Issue Location: Twain Harte, CA