# 1453 - 1972 8c National Parks Centennial: Old Faithful, Yellowstone

 

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 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.