The stamps were issued in Washington, DC during the 2006 World Philatelic Exhibition. While they don’t honor each of the 50 states specifically as previous large se-tenant sheets had, they do represent every region of the country.
American Alligator The
largest American reptile, the adult alligator can reach up to 18 feet in
length and can weigh 600 pounds. They can live 35 to 50 years in the
wild. Alligators feed mainly on fish, small mammals, and birds. Large
males sometimes attack dogs, pigs, or even cattle, but usually avoid
man. Once hunted extensively for their hides, alligators were given
protected status from 1967 to 1987 and have made an excellent recovery.
Moloka’i Cliffs The northern side of the Hawaiian
island of Moloka’i is an almost-continuous towering cliff, reaching to
3,600 feet and intersected by deep valleys. The sea cliffs along the
northeastern coast of Moloka’i are the highest in the world.
Saguaro Cactus The largest American cactus, the
saguaro, grows in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico, Arizona, and
California. It can reach close to 60 feet tall and weigh up to 10
tons. Saguaros begin to grow upward-curving arms at about 65 to 75
years old and are considered mature at 125 years old. The largest
plants, with more than five arms, are estimated to be 200 years old.
Bering Glacier The Bering Glacier near Cordova, Alaska,
is North America’s largest glacier. It is about 126 miles long and
about 30 miles wide near its end in Vitus Lake. Large amounts of snow
in the region build up and turn into ice. At some point, the ice
becomes so thick that it begins to move downhill under the pressure of
its own weight. The glacier surges, or moves rapidly, every 20 years or
so. These surges are generally followed by periods of retreat, so
despite periodic advances, the Bering Glacier has been shrinking
overall.
Great Sand Dunes The Great Sand Dunes in southern
Colorado are the tallest dunes in North America, with crests reaching
750 feet. Creeks carry loose sand from the east and north sides of the
dune field and re-deposit it where prevailing winds can carry it back to
the dune field. The Ute tribe called the Great Sand Dunes “the land
that moves back and forth.”
Chesapeake Bay The Chesapeake Bay is the largest
estuary in the US. It is almost 200 miles long along the Maryland and
Virginia coastline and varies from three to thirty miles wide. Until
later in the 20th century, Chesapeake Bay was famous for seafood
production, particularly rockfish (striped bass) and shellfish.
(Chesepiooc is an Algonquian word meaning “Great Shellfish Bay.”) The
bay still yields more fish and shellfish than any other estuary in the
US. With environmental controls and fishing limits, rockfish, once
almost extinct, have made a comeback.
Cliff Palace The Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde National
Park, Colorado, is the largest cliff dwelling in America. Cliff
dwellers built their homes in sandstone canyon walls between 1000 and
1300 A.D. Structures were built several stories high of hand-hewn stone
and adobe. Logs and branches were mortared for ceilings. Even after
700 years, the masonry walls are well preserved. The Cliff Palace
contained 150 rooms and 23 kivas (ceremonial rooms) and held a
population of approximately 100 people.
Crater Lake Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United
States, lies in the heart of Oregon’s Cascade Mountains. The lake is
1,943 feet at its deepest point. Crater Lake was formed about 6,600
years ago when lava escaped from underneath 12,000-foot-high Mount
Mazama. No longer supported by the lava, the top of the mountain
collapsed, leaving a huge depression. This bowl-shaped crater gradually
filled with melted snow and spring water.
American Bison The American bison is the largest land
mammal in North America. Measuring up to 11 feet long, it can weigh
more than a ton. Millions once ranged between the Appalachian and
Rocky Mountains. But with the Westward Expansion of white civilization,
the bison was slaughtered for meat, hides, and sport. By 1889, only a
few hundred could be found. Protective measures allowed the bison to
survive and multiply. Today, there are approximately 250,000 in the
United States.
Coastal Reef Off the Florida Keys Stretched beside the
chain of Florida Key Islands is a ribbon of coral, America’s longest
barrier reef. Barrier reefs lie between the water near the shore and
the open sea, protecting the mainland. Coral reefs are living organisms
created over thousands of years by the limestone deposits of tiny
creatures called polyps. Coral reefs need water above 70°F. The reef
along the Florida Keys is possible because of the warm flow of the Gulf
Stream.
Pacific Crest Trail The Pacific Crest Trail is the
nation’s longest designated hiking trail. It follows high crests of the
California, Oregon, and Washington mountain ranges from Canada to
Mexico. In 2,650 miles, it crosses many national and state forests and
parks, using paths made by the Indians, pioneers, trappers, and
shepherds. The trail passes through zones ranging from desert to arctic
alpine. It rises from about 200 feet at the Columbia River to more
than 13,000 feet in the High Sierras.
Gateway Arch The Gateway Arch, designed by architect
Eero Saarinen, is America’s tallest man-made monument. It rises 630
feet above the city of St. Louis, Missouri, as a national monument to
President Thomas Jefferson and America’s Westward Expansion.
Construction of the stainless steel arch began in 1963 and was completed
in 1965 for a cost of less than $15 million.
Appalachians The Appalachians are the oldest mountains
of North America, formed some 480 million years ago. The major ranges
in the Appalachian Mountains include the White, Green, Taconic,
Catskill, Berkshire, Allegheny, Blue Ridge, Black, Cumberland, and Smoky
Mountains. Large, broad-leaved deciduous forests flourish in the
southern Appalachians, and a mix of northern hardwoods and conifers
predominate in the north.
American Lotus Growing in lakes, ponds, and streams,
the American lotus, or yellow water lily, is the country’s largest
flower, up to ten inches across. The flowers and leaves stand above the
water’s surface as high as three feet on rigid stems. The center of
the flower, the seed pod, is cone-shaped and is used in dried flower
arrangements.
Lake Superior The largest of the five Great Lakes, Lake
Superior is also the largest body of fresh water in the world. It
covers 31,700 square miles, an area the size of South Carolina. Of all
the Great Lakes, it is the deepest and coldest, 1,330 feet at its
deepest point. About 200 rivers empty into Lake Superior, some forming
waterfalls as they plunge over high, stony headlands.
Pronghorn Pronghorn are America’s fastest land animal,
running up to 60 miles per hour. They are found only on North America’s
western plains and deserts where they have roamed for the last million
years. With no cover to hide in, the pronghorn has to be able to
outdistance wolves and coyotes. At high speed, it covers the ground in
great strides of 14 to 24 feet.
Bristlecone Pines One species of bristlecone pine, the
Great Basin bristlecone, lives longer than any other tree. It is found
at the timberline in the mountains of California, Nevada, and Utah.
Dense, resinous wood and slow growth help keep the trees from drying out
and protect the bristlecones from insects, harmful bacteria, and
fungi. The oldest living tree when this stamp was issued was a 4,765
year-old bristlecone pine named “Methuselah,” growing in the White
Mountains of California.
Yosemite Falls Yosemite Falls is 2,425 feet, the
highest waterfall in North America. Located in the Sierra Nevada
mountains of California, Yosemite Falls has three distinct sections.
From the 1,430-foot sheer drop of the Upper Falls, the water travels
through a series of cascades, rapids, and small plunges that stretch for
675 feet. The 320-foot Lower Falls ends in a plunge pool frequented by
visitors and nature photographers.
Great Basin The Great Basin is the largest desert in
the United States. It includes most of the state of Nevada as well as
areas of California, Utah, Idaho, and Oregon. It encompasses nearly
200,000 square miles, making it larger than California. The region is
actually formed by a series of basins, surrounded by the Sierra Nevada
and Rocky Mountains, the Columbia Plateau, and the Mojave and Sonoran
Deserts. The Basin’s deepest depression is Death Valley, which lies 282
feet blow sea level.
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge Opened in 1964, the
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge is the longest span in North America. The
suspension bridge connecting Brooklyn and Staten Island is 13,700 feet
long. The bridge is supported by two 693-foot towers and more than
143,000 miles of cables. The bridge is named for Giovanni da Verrazano,
the first European explorer to sail the area.
Mount Washington Mount Washington, the windiest place
in America, is located within the Presidential Range of New Hampshire’s
White Mountains. Mount Washington is the highest peak in the northeast
at 6,288 feet above sea level. On April 12, 1934, a wind gust of 231
miles per hour was recorded on Mount Washington. That is the maximum
wind gust ever recorded on land that was not associated with a tornado
or hurricane.
Grand Canyon America’s largest canyon, the majestic
Grand Canyon, was carved by the Colorado River over thousands of years.
The canyon stretches for 277 miles, is 18 miles across at its widest
place, and more than one mile at its deepest. Humans have lived in the
canyon for more than 4,000 years. Members of Coronado’s 1540 expedition
were the first white men to discover the canyon. Congress declared the
area a National Park in 1919.
American Bullfrog The American bullfrog is America’s
largest frog. Adults may reach more than six inches in length and weigh
up to one pound. They have strong legs capable of leaping up to six
feet, teeth, and a muscular tongue. Adult American bullfrogs are fierce
predators who prey upon snakes, birds, fish, baby ducks, insects, and
even other frogs.
Oroville Dam Oroville Dam is America’s tallest dam.
Located in the foothills of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, the
dam stands 770 feet tall and measures 6,920 feet long at its crest. The
reservoir, Lake Oroville, holds 3.5 million acre-feet of water for
densely populated cities in dry southern California. A hydro-electric
system housed in a giant underground cavern beneath the lake generates
2.8 billion kilowatt-hours of power annually.
Peregrine Falcon The world’s fastest bird, the
peregrine falcon, has the capacity to dive with speeds up to 200 miles
per hour. The bird uses its speed and agility to seize prey in
mid-air. Cones in the falcon’s nostrils regulate breathing at high
speeds with such efficiency that the design was incorporated in fighter
jets. The peregrine falcon was added to the endangered species list in
1970. Conservation efforts allowed the species to be removed from the
list in 1999.
Mississippi River Delta America’s largest delta is
located at the mouth of the Mississippi River in Louisiana. The
Mississippi River Delta covers approximately 11,000 square miles, or
about one fourth of the state. The delta was formed over thousands of
years. As the Mississippi River slows to meet the Gulf of Mexico,
suspended particles sink and form the sediment that add to the delta.
Steamboat Geyser Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone
National Park, Wyoming, is recognized as the world’s tallest active
geyser. Although eruptions of 10 to 40 feet are common, the geyser is
capable of sending massive plumes of steam 300 feet into the air. These
infrequent, major eruptions last 3 to 40 minutes, followed by powerful
jets of steam lasting up to 48 hours.
Rainbow Bridge The world’s largest natural bridge,
Rainbow Bridge in Utah, is an arch left after Bridge Creek eroded softer
sandstone layers. The breathtaking arch is 290 feet tall and 275 feet
across. The Navajo consider it a sacred symbol of the gods responsible
for clouds, rainbows, and rain. For centuries, difficult access and a
remote location kept the bridge hidden from white men. In 1909, native
Paiute guides led the Douglas-Cummings survey party to the landmark.
White Sturgeon The white sturgeon is the largest
freshwater fish in North America. The enormous species has inhabited
Pacific coast rivers and bays for more than 175 million years. In the
1800s, a white sturgeon was caught in Idaho’s Snake River that
reportedly weighed 1,500 pounds and measured 20 feet long. The more
common maximum size today is around 12 feet long. White sturgeons may
live to be over 100 years old.
Rocky Mountains America’s longest mountain chain, the
Rocky Mountains, extends north and south more than 2,000 miles in the
western The Rocky Mountains form the Continental Divide, which separates
rivers flowing west to the Pacific from rivers flowing east to the
Atlantic. Lewis’ and Clark’s explorations of the mountains in 1804 were
followed by fur traders, Mormons, and adventurers. The first wagon
train crossed the Rockies in 1832.
Coast Redwoods Coast redwoods are the tallest trees in
the world, standing from 200 to 350 feet tall and living up to 2,000
years or more. They range from southern Oregon to central California.
Groves thrive within 50 miles of the ocean, where the climate provides
abundant water and a moderate temperature. Most new redwoods grow from
sprouts that shoot up around the base of an existing tree. When the
parent tree dies, the new generation of trees rise around it in a circle
known as a fairy ring.
American Beaver The American beaver is the largest
North American rodent, living throughout the continent. Although the
average beaver ranges from 30 to 60 pounds today, a few specimens have
been found that weigh over 100 pounds. The height of a North American
beaver standing upright is about three feet. The average life span of
an American beaver is 11 years. Beavers build lodges in deep,
slow-moving water.
Mississippi-Missouri River System The
Mississippi-Missouri river system is the longest in the US, stretching
more than 3,700 miles. It begins in Montana, flows into the Mississippi
River in St. Louis, and drains into the Gulf of Mexico. America’s
great Westward Expansion relied heavily upon the Mississippi-Missouri
river system.
Mount Wai`ale`ale Mount Wai`ale`ale, on the Hawaiian
island of Kaua`i, is the world’s rainiest spot with an average annual
rainfall of about 460 inches. In 1982, a record 683 inches of rain
fell. Kaua`i is conical, exposing all sides of the mountain to winds
and moisture. Moist Pacific trade winds are funneled into Mount
Wai`ale`ale’s crater by neighboring mountain ranges. The cool elevation
condenses the moisture into rain.
Kilauea The world’s most active volcano is located on
the island of Hawaii. Kilauea had 45 separate eruptions in the last
century. The current eruption began in 1983 and produces more than ten
million cubic feet of lava every day. Kilauea is a shield volcano, made
almost entirely of basalt (hard, shiny volcanic rock). Unless moisture
enters the vent area, shield volcanoes rarely exhibit the explosive
nature of composite volcanoes.
Mammoth Cave Mammoth Cave is the world’s longest
recorded cave system. With more than 360 miles mapped, it is at least
three times longer than any cave known. Geologists estimate that there
could be an additional 600 miles of undiscovered passages. The cave
lies in a central-Kentucky limestone ridge. Over millions of years,
mildly acidic water ran through cracks and wore away limestone to form
the cave.
Blue Whale The world’s loudest animal, the blue whale,
has a call that reaches 188 decibels and carries through hundreds of
miles of ocean. (A jet engine only reaches 140 decibels.) The blue
whale is the largest animal that ever lived, up to 100 feet long and 196
tons. Today, only about 12,000 blue whales remain. The largest
concentration in the world, approximately 2,000, feed off the coast of
California in the summer and fall.
Death Valley Death Valley lies chiefly in east-central
California. Pioneers heading for the gold fields of California named
Death Valley after they crossed it in 1849. The valley is 156 miles
long. It has the lowest elevation in the Western Hemisphere, 282 feet
below sea level. The highest temperature ever recorded in the United
States, 134˚F, was reported in Death Valley on July 10, 1913.
Cornish-Windsor Bridge The Cornish-Windsor Bridge is
the longest wooden, covered bridge in the US and the longest two-span
covered bridge in the world. It is 450.5 feet long at floor level. The
bridge crosses the Connecticut River and connects the towns of Cornish,
New Hampshire, and Windsor, Vermont. The plank-covered roadway is wide
enough to permit two-way traffic. The present bridge was built by
James Tasker and Bela Fletcher in 1866 at a cost of $9,000. It was
framed on a nearby meadow and later moved to its present location.
Quaking Aspen Aspens send roots out horizontally
underground. New shoots grow from these roots and develop into tree
trunks. Each new trunk sends out a set of roots to form still more
shoots. All the growth that started from one tree is called a clone and
shares an interconnected root system. One quaking aspen clone in the
Wasatch Mountains of Utah, named Pando, has more than 47,000 trunks.
This clone may be the world’s most massive organism, weighing about 13
million pounds.