US #2747
1993 29¢ Oregon Trail
- Commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Oregon Trail
- Stamps were released in more than 35 cities on the same day
Stamp Category: Commemorative
Value: 29¢
First Day of Issue: February 12, 1993
First Day City(s): Salem, Oregon
Quantity Issued: 110,000,000
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 50
Perforations: 11
Why the stamp was issued: This stamp was issued in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Oregon Trail. Though fur traders and early settlers had traveled the route across the west to Oregon Country, 1843 marked “The Great Migration.” That year, 700 to 1,000 pioneers left Missouri to cross deserts and mountains and settle in the Willamette Valley. During the next two decades, about 400,000 settlers braved the dangers of the Oregon Trail for the hope of fertile land and open spaces.
About the stamp design: The stamp pictures a topographical map of the Northwestern corner of the US. The Oregon Trail is represented with a thick line. The dots on the ends of the line mark the starting and ending point of the trail (Independence, Missouri, and Oregon City, Oregon respectively).
The stamp was designed by Jack Rosenthal, the chairman of the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee at the time. John Boyed produced the finished art of the stamp.
First Day City: The US Postal Service originally chose Oregon City, Oregon, as the First Day City, because this was the designated end of the Oregon Trail. The city was then changed to Salem, the state’s capital. In response to protests about the change, the USPS announced it would release the stamp in other designated cities in addition to Salem. By the time the stamp was released, this number had grown to 38 cities in the five states the trail crossed.