# 5080o - 2016 First-Class Forever Stamp - National Parks Centennial: Carlsbad Caverns National Park
US #5080o
2016 Carlsbad Caverns National Park – National Parks
- Honors Carlsbad Caverns 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 Carlsbad Caverns 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: At the base of the Guadalupe Mountains, hidden beneath southeastern New Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert, are the extensive Carlsbad Caverns. Millions of years ago, naturally occurring sulfuric acid dissolved the subsurface limestone, carving the 119 known underground caves and passages that stretch over 120 miles.
Sometime in more recent history, the ground shifted and a surface-level entrance to the caves opened. In 1898, teenager Jim White discovered the opening when a swarm of bats emerged, blackening the sky. “Any hole in the ground which could house such a gigantic army of bats must be a whale of a big cave,” he thought. He returned to the pitch-black hole a few days later and went inside to explore. More adventures followed, and soon White was leading tours of the caves he had discovered and named.
In 1923, White gave a photographer a tour of the caves, and the pictures made it to the New York Times. Within six months, the site was declared a national monument. Tourist amenities were added as visitors began coming to see the fascinating labyrinth of underground rooms. White became chief ranger in 1926. In 1930, the caves, along with 46,000-plus acres of desert above, were permanently established as Carlsbad Caverns National Park.
US #5080o
2016 Carlsbad Caverns National Park – National Parks
- Honors Carlsbad Caverns 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 Carlsbad Caverns 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: At the base of the Guadalupe Mountains, hidden beneath southeastern New Mexico’s Chihuahuan Desert, are the extensive Carlsbad Caverns. Millions of years ago, naturally occurring sulfuric acid dissolved the subsurface limestone, carving the 119 known underground caves and passages that stretch over 120 miles.
Sometime in more recent history, the ground shifted and a surface-level entrance to the caves opened. In 1898, teenager Jim White discovered the opening when a swarm of bats emerged, blackening the sky. “Any hole in the ground which could house such a gigantic army of bats must be a whale of a big cave,” he thought. He returned to the pitch-black hole a few days later and went inside to explore. More adventures followed, and soon White was leading tours of the caves he had discovered and named.
In 1923, White gave a photographer a tour of the caves, and the pictures made it to the New York Times. Within six months, the site was declared a national monument. Tourist amenities were added as visitors began coming to see the fascinating labyrinth of underground rooms. White became chief ranger in 1926. In 1930, the caves, along with 46,000-plus acres of desert above, were permanently established as Carlsbad Caverns National Park.