Waterfowl Stamp Exhibit Earns Appreciation
Panel Two
The second panel is devoted to the stamps of Marion County, Kansas. In the early 1930s local residents became interested in building a recreational park featuring a lake. The board of commissioners selected Jerry E. Mullikin, a former peace officer with a lifelong interest in wildlife conservation, as the first superintendent.
The park opened in 1939. In 1941, Marion County became the first local government to issue waterfowl stamps. On display is a 1941 stamp on a license issued to J.E. Mullikin. This is believed to be the first stamp sold (see Figure 4).
Figure 4. The 1941 Marion County waterfowl stamp used on this license is believed to be the first stamp sold. The license was issued to Park and Lake Superintendent Jerry Mullikin.
In 1943 marion County issued the world’s first duck stamp. It is unique and Torre’s favorite waterfowl stamp (see Figure 5).
Figure 5. The world’s fist duck stamp, issued by Marion County in 1943.
What is regarded as the most important license in fish and game philately is the Waner license: a 1949 Marion County combination hunting/fishing license with four different stamps. In addition to a Federal duck stamp and Kansas quail stamp, it contains the only recorded copy of the 1949 Marion County Duck and 1949 Marion County Fishing stamp (see Figure 6).
Figure 6. The Waner License is generally regarded as the most important license in the fish and game hobby. It bears the the only known examples of both Marion County stamps from 1949.