U.S. #750a
1934 American Philatelic Exhibition Single
National Parks Series – Mount Rainier
Imperforate
Issue Date: August 28, 1934
First City: Atlantic City, New Jersey
Quantity Issued: 511,391
Printed by: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Flat Plate Press
Perforation: None
Color: Deep Violet
On August 28, 1934, the Post Office Department issued U.S. #750 as a souvenir sheet in conjunction with the American Philatelic Society’s Convention and Exhibition being held in Atlantic City. The sheet contained six 3¢ stamps featuring the breathtaking beauty of Mt. Rainier. This stamp was just one of ten printed by the postal service that year for its National Parks series.
Located in west-central Washington, majestic Mt. Rainier is an extinct volcano that rises 14,410 feet (over 2 1/2 miles) above sea level. It’s the highest mountain in the state of Washington and the largest single-peak glacier in the United States. More than 26 “rivers of ice” originate at its summit, while further down the mountainside, forests of Douglas fir, western hemlock, and western cedar cover its slopes.
In 1870, Hazard Stevens and P.B. Van Trump climbed to the top of Mt. Rainier by way of the Gibraltar Route. They became the first men to succeed in this. Today, various hiking trails allow visitors to view the mountain’s spectacular scenery. The 90-mile Wonderland Trail encircles the entire mountain and can be hiked in about a week to ten days. Paradise Valley, a popular ski resort, is situated about a mile up the south side of the mountain. In 1899, the 241,992-acre Mount Rainier National Park was established.
U.S. #750 was produced on 120-subject plates, with 20 panes of six stamps each.