US #5698d
2022 Illinois – Mighty Mississippi
- 1 of 10 stamps in the Mighty Mississippi set
- Honors the Mississippi River and its important role in commerce, culture, and more
- Represents the Mississippi’s path through Illinois
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Mighty Mississippi
Value: First Class ... more
US #5698d
2022 Illinois – Mighty Mississippi
- 1 of 10 stamps in the Mighty Mississippi set
- Honors the Mississippi River and its important role in commerce, culture, and more
- Represents the Mississippi’s path through Illinois
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Set: Mighty Mississippi
Value: First Class Mail Rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue: May 23, 2022
First Day City: Memphis, Tennessee
Quantity Issued: 40,000,000 stamps
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 10
Tagging: Nonphosphored Type III Block Tag
Why the stamp was issued: To honor the Mississippi River and the impact it has on the state of Illinois.
About the stamp design: Pictures a photograph of fall scenery and a rocky cliff face along the bank of the Mississippi River in Illinois.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue Ceremony was held in Memphis, Tennessee, at Beale Street Landing overlooking the Mississippi River.
About the Mighty Mississippi set: Includes 10 stamps picturing scenic views of the Mississippi River from the different states it passes through on its way from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
The designs picture the quiet scenic views of the Upper Mississippi as well as the bustling transportation highway that is the Lower Mississippi. There’s also a stamp picturing the Great River Road. This series of connected roads follows the Mississippi River all the way from Minnesota to Louisiana. One design pictures a vintage steamboat, an iconic symbol of the American South. There’s also a modern barge transporting goods, an impressive bridge spanning the width of the river, and stunning wetland habitat supported by the river’s floodplain.
The reverse side of the pane of stamps pictures a map of the central United States showing the Mississippi River’s course and its major tributaries.
History the stamp represents: There are many scenic and historic parks along the banks of the Mississippi River. One such area is located in Illinois and named after the famous missionary and explorer Jacques Marquette.
Père Marquette State Park is located near Grafton, Illinois, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The park encompasses over 8,000 acres, making it Illinois’s largest state park. It was established in 1931 as Piasa Bluffs State Park, but was renamed shortly after.
In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps built a lodge to serve as the park’s main visitor area. In 1985, the building had grown to include 72 rooms, with additional cabins being built in the surrounding area. An official visitor center opened in 1997 with information about plants and animals within the park as well as the area’s history. In 2018, the original lodge was named one of Illinois’s 200 Great Places by the American Institute of Architects.
Today, Père Marquette State Park is a great place to stop on any trip to Illinois. It features 12 miles of trails, horseback riding, boat launches on the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers, and plenty of birdwatching opportunities (the park is home to over 200 species). And there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy views of the Mississippi from one of the park’s many bluffs.
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