US #5080e
2016 Grand Canyon National Park – National Parks
- Honors Grand Canyon National Park
- One of 16 stamps celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: National Parks
... more
US #5080e
2016 Grand Canyon National Park – National Parks
- Honors Grand Canyon National Park
- One of 16 stamps celebrating the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: National Parks
Value: 47¢ First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: June 2, 2016
First Day City: New York, New York
Quantity Issued: 100,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset, Microprint
Format: Panes of 16
Tagging: Phosphor tagged paper, block
Why the stamp was issued: To celebrate the beauty and natural wonders of Grand Canyon National Park.
About the stamp design: Includes 16 designs, each picturing existing art or photographs of national parks or plants, animals, artwork, objects, or structures in national parks. The margins of each stamp includes the name of the location. coincide with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held at the Javits Center in New York City as part of the World Stamp Show NY 2016.
About the National Parks set: Includes 16 stamp designs, each picturing existing art or photographs of national parks or plants, animals, artwork, objects, or structures in national parks. The margins of each stamp include the name of the location. Issued to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. The central image on the sheet of 16 pictures the 1¢ Yosemite postage stamp issued in 1934 along with the text “Our national parks tell distinctly American stories. Whether they inspire you to marvel at grand vistas, travel along scenic waterways and winding paths, or visit historic buildings and homes, discovery and exploration await.”
History the stamp represents: Six million years ago, the Colorado River began carving through an ancient plateau. Eventually, a river valley over 6,000 feet deep and up to 18 miles wide was created, stretching from southern Utah to northwestern Arizona.
Modern explorers first reached the Grand Canyon in the 1820s. Exploration of the canyon continued throughout the 19th century. No profit-making venture could be produced except mining, which often proved to be more work than it was worth. One failed miner, Captain John Hance, eventually turned to managing a hotel and guided trail. Other settlers further improved upon the tourist trade, building more hotels, trails, and roads. The Grand Canyon was on its way to becoming a popular vacation destination.
In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt visited the canyon for the first time. He was so fascinated that he reportedly proclaimed, “let this great wonder of nature remain as it now is… keep it for your children, your children’s children, and all who come after you…” Though he was able to create a game preserve a few years later, Roosevelt failed repeatedly in establishing the canyon as a national park. But Arizona’s statehood in 1912 and the creation of the National Park Service led Congress to establish Grand Canyon National Park in 1919.
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