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Visiting 4 U.S. Cities Named Valentine

[1]It’s Valentine’s Day, and what better way to celebrate than by taking a quick look at a few U.S. cities named Valentine. That’s right, we’ve got four cities named Valentine, and in at least two of them, you can get your mail postmarked with a heart-shaped cancellation stamp. How romantic.

Valentine, Arizona: If you come to visit this very small town, be sure to visit the Keepers of the Wild Nature Park [2], which is dedicated to the protection of abused, abandoned and retired captive wildlife. This nature park has over 175 animals as well as daily guided safari tours. You can also visit an Indian School, which closed in 1969, but for the most part Valentine is a ghost town.

Valentine, Nebraska: This town, which is also referred to as America’s Heart City [3], is named for Edward K. Valentine, a former congressman from Nebraska. Head to the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge to hike the refuge trails to see over 260 species of birds and wildlife. In town, check out arts and craft shops, bookstores and one of the area’s largest western wear stores [4]. Annual festivities include the Nebraska Cowboy Poetry Gathering and Old West Days.

Valentine, Texas: With an official population of 187 at the 2000 census, Valentine was founded appropriately on February 14, 1882 and sits on the far west side of Texas. Its claim to fame is an unusual sculpture, Prada Marfa, which was designed to resemble a Prada store. There’s also a post office in Valentine and you can send in envelopes to get special holiday postmarks for Valentine’s Day.

Valentines, Virginia: Thousands of pieces of mail are sent to this out-of-the-way crossroads in January and February seeking a heart-shaped, hand-canceled postmark that reads “Valentines, VA.” Not much is here except for a few fields of tobacco, cotton and soybeans, a 1930s general store, and of course, a post office. The community’s name comes from the first postmaster, William Henry Valentine.

Have you been to any of the above towns named Valentine (or Valentines)? Or have you been to any other similarly romantic towns, like Heart’s Desire in Canada or Romance, Arkansas? Let me know in the comments.

Photo Credit: Country Riders [5]