Description
What is this patch?
A 3-inch embroidered patch cut to the silhouette of the wood-and-stone entrance sign you pass when you drive into Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Made for BHPFA by L.W. Bristol Classics, a Bristol, Tennessee maker of park patches, pins, and hiking medallions. The face is fully embroidered with the sign’s lettering and color. The back is heat-activated adhesive, so it irons onto most woven fabrics without sewing.
Agate Fossil Beds approved the design, so the silhouette and lettering match the actual entrance sign on River Road in the Nebraska panhandle.
What’s in the package
- One die-cut embroidered patch, 3″ along the long axis
- Iron-on heat-activated adhesive backing
- Mounted on a presentation card
Specifications
- Size: 3″ die-cut (entrance-sign silhouette, not round)
- Weight: 0.2 oz (patch only)
- Construction: Fully embroidered front
- Backing: Heat-activated iron-on adhesive (can also be hand-sewn)
- Packaging: Mounted on a presentation card
- Manufacturer: L.W. Bristol Classics (Bristol, TN)
How to attach the patch
Place the patch face-up on the fabric where you want it. Cover with a thin pressing cloth or scrap of cotton. Press with a hot iron, no steam, for 20 to 30 seconds, applying steady downward pressure. Let it cool for a minute before testing the bond. For anything that sees regular washing or hard outdoor use, run a few hand stitches around the edge after ironing for a permanent hold. Iron-on bonds well to denim, cotton, canvas, and most pack nylons; it does not bond to leather, slick athletic fabrics, or heavily waterproofed shells.
About Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
Agate Fossil Beds is in the Nebraska panhandle, between the towns of Harrison and Mitchell. The monument protects Miocene-era mammal fossil beds, including some of the most complete early-horse, rhinoceros, and entelodont fossils in North America. It also holds the James H. Cook Collection of Lakota artifacts, gifts of friendship from Red Cloud and other tribal leaders to the Cook family, who ranched the land in the 1880s.
The monument was established in 1965. It sits on River Road off Highway 29, well off the interstate, which keeps visitor traffic light. People who go out of their way to get there usually want a small souvenir to mark the trip. The sign patch is built for that.
Who is this for?
Visitors who made the trip. Agate Fossil Beds is a long drive from anywhere. If you went, this patch marks it. The sign-shaped silhouette is recognizable at a glance for anyone else who has been there.
Park patch collectors. The L.W. Bristol Classics sign-patch format runs across many NPS sites. If you collect them, this is the Agate Fossil Beds entry. They sit flat on a shadow-box, a denim jacket panel, or a daypack lid.
Hiking-staff and walking-stick decorators. Embroidered patches with iron-on backing also adhere to the leather wraps and felt panels people use to mount park patches on hiking staffs.
Gift buyers. $4.99 on a card. Easy add-on to a larger order, easy to mail, no wrapping needed.
Frequently asked questions
What does the patch look like?
A small embroidered patch in the silhouette of the entrance sign at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. The face is fully embroidered with the sign’s lettering and color. The back is heat-activated iron-on adhesive.
How big is 3 inches?
About the long axis of a credit card or a standard hat-front patch. The die-cut sign shape is wider than it is tall, so it sits naturally on a jacket sleeve, ball-cap front panel, or pack lid.
How does it attach?
Iron-on. Place the patch face-up, cover with a pressing cloth, press with a hot iron (no steam) for 20 to 30 seconds. For long-term durability on items that get washed, hand-sew around the edge after ironing.
Will the iron-on backing hold up in the wash?
On woven fabrics like denim, cotton, and canvas, yes, for many wash cycles on gentle settings. On synthetic athletic fabrics or anything with a waterproof coating, it will not bond well in the first place. For gear that goes through hard use, sewing around the edge after ironing makes it permanent.
Is there a matching pin?
Yes. The Agate Fossil Beds Sign Pin is the same entrance-sign design in die-cut enameled metal with a tack pin back. Same family, made by the same manufacturer.
Is there a matching hiking medallion?
The Agate Fossil Beds Dinohyus Hiking Medallion is the matching hiking-stick piece, also made by L.W. Bristol Classics. Different art (the dinohyus skull, the monument’s signature fossil), but the same Agate Fossil Beds family.
What other Agate Fossil Beds items does BHPFA carry?
Browse the Agate Fossil Beds park store page for the full list, including the Sign Pin, the Dinohyus Hiking Medallion, and other items.
Can I get my Passport to Your National Parks book stamped at Agate Fossil Beds?
Yes. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is part of the NPS Passport stamp program. Bring your Passport book to the visitor center on River Road in Harrison, NE.
Does buying this support national parks?
Yes. BHPFA is the official nonprofit partner of Wind Cave National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, and Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, as well as the Black Hills National Forest and Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands. Proceeds from every purchase support education programs, conservation projects, and visitor services at these sites.
