1972 National Parks Centennial

1448-51

Issue Date: April 5, 1971

City: Hatteras, NC

Quantity: 43,182,500

Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Printing Method: Giori Press

Perforations: 11

Color: Multicolored

This issue was unique in that it combined four stamps in a block that contained one overall design (U.S. #1448-51). Cape Hatteras National Seashore is pictured. That area contains some of the earliest sites of English colonial settlement. Located along North Carolina’s Outer Banks, the shores are home to thousands of waterfowl and have become the final stop for sections of ships that have been wrecked on the shoals.

U.S. #1452

6¢ Wolf Trap Farm
National Parks Centennial

Issue Date: June 26, 1972

City: Vienna, VA

Quantity: 104,090,000

Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Printing Method: Giori Press

Perforations: 11

Color: Multicolored

Located in Vienna, Virginia, Wolf Trap Farm was the first National Park for the performing arts. In the center of the park is a ten-story-high theater with an "open-to-the-air" seating capacity of 6500.

Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts

Wolf Trap Farm is the only National Park dedicated exclusively to the performing arts. Located in Vienna, Virginia, Wolf Trap Farm consists of two separate facilities, the Barns and the Filene Center. These facilities are home to various musical performances, such as the Wolf Trap Opera Company. Wolf Trap Farm became a national park in 1966; it held its first season in 1971.

The scenery at Wolf Trap Farm is as impressive as the performances. The 130 rolling acres are home to a large variety of wildlife as well as an abundance of natural resources.

U.S. #1453

8¢ Old Faithful
National Parks Centennial

Issue Date: March 1, 1972

City: Yellowstone National Park, WY

Quantity: 164,096,000

Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Printing Method: Giori Press

Perforations: 11

Color: Multicolored

This stamp marks the 100th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park, which spreads over 2 million acres of land in Wyoming, eastern Idaho, and southwestern Montana. Its number-one attraction is the geyser, "Old Faithful."

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park has the proud distinction of being the oldest national park in the world. The vast majority of Yellowstone lies in Wyoming, although it stretches into Idaho and Montana. This gigantic park covers 2,200,000 acres, which include deep canyons, majestic waterfalls, pristine lakes, dense forests, and vast meadows. 

The park has more geysers and hot springs than any other area in the world. These include Old Faithful, which sends a 100-foot stream of boiling water into the air about every 73 minutes. Yellowstone also has the distinction of being the largest wildlife preserve in the United States. Bears, bison (buffalo), elk, bald eagles, trumpeter swans, moose, cougars, and white pelicans are among the many animals that enjoy the park’s pristine environment.

Yellowstone’s landscape was formed by a series of ancient volcanic eruptions. More recently, glaciers covered the area – the last ones melted about 10,000 years ago. 

The U.S. government obtained the area in 1803, as part of the Louisiana Purchase. A member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, John Colter, was probably the first white person to see the area. 

In 1872, Congress established this first national park, to protect its unusual features and resources. The National Park Service was created in 1916, in part, to manage Yellowstone.

U.S. #1454

15¢ Mount McKinley

Issue Date: July 28, 1972

City: Mt. McKinley National Park, AK

Quantity: 53,920,000

Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Printing Method: Giori Press

Perforations: 11

Color: Multicolored

Mount McKinley National Park is located 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The park is home to 132 species of birds and 37 species of mammals, including grizzly bear, timber wolves, and barren ground caribou. Over 3,000 square miles of the park surround Mt. McKinley, which is the highest mountain in North America at 20,320 feet.

“Top of the Continent” – Mount McKinley

Mount McKinley is located in south-central Alaska, in the Alaska Range of mountains. It has the highest peak of any mountain in North America, which has earned the mountain the nickname, “Top of the Continent.” The mountain actually has two peaks – the South Peak, which measures 20,329 feet high, and the North Peak, which rises 19,470 feet. The mountain was named after U.S. President William McKinley, who served from 1897 to 1901.

Mount McKinley National Park was established in 1917. The Native Americans call Mount McKinley Denali, which means “The Great One.” In 1980, the name of the park was changed to Denali National Park. About 30 kinds of animals live within Denali’s protected lands, including grizzly bears, moose, caribou, Dall’s sheep, and red and silver foxes. In addition to Mount McKinley, there are over 300 other high mountain peaks in Denali National Park.

Although several parties previously claimed to have climbed Mount McKinley, the mountain was not successfully scaled until 1913, when Hudson Stuck, Harry P. Karstens, and two companions climbed to the top of the South Peak.