1474, 1592, 2907 UNITED STATES (Tennessee / North Carolina) - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (UNESCO WHS)

1474 Map of Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Posted on 01.03.2015, 18.05.2015, 18.12.2016
Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, a division of the Appalachian Mountains. The border between Tennessee and North Carolina runs through the centerline of the park. Before the arrival of European, the region was part of the homeland of the Cherokees. President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, beginning the forced removal of all Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River. Many of the Cherokee left, but some hid out in the area that is now the park. Some of their descendants now live in the Qualla Boundary.

1592 Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The park is a major refuge of temperate zone flora and fauna that survived the Pleistocene glaciations. The park includes the largest remnant of the diverse Arcto-Tertiary geoflora era left in the world, and provides an indication of the appearance of late Pleistocene flora. It is large enough to allow the continuing biological evolution of this system, and its biological diversity exceeds that of other temperate-zone protected areas. The park is of exceptional beauty with virgin forest including the largest block of virgin red spruce remaining on earth.

2907 John Oliver Cabin in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

It is home to more than 3,500 plant species, including almost as many trees (130 natural species) as in all of Europe. Many endangered animal species are also found there, including what is probably the greatest variety of salamanders in the world. The park contains evidence of four pre-Columbian Indian cultures: Mississippian, Woodland, Archaic and palaeo-Indian. The early Woodland culture period is of special archaeological importance because it shows the first evidence of organized horticulture in North America. More than 150 archaeological sites have been identified within the park.

Cades Cove is an isolated valley located in the Tennessee section of the park, which was home to numerous settlers before the formation of the national park. John Oliver, a veteran of the War of 1812, and his wife Lurena Frazier were the first permanent European settlers in Cades Cove. The Olivers arrived in 1818, spent the winter of 1818-1819 in an abandoned Cherokee hut, and built a crude structure the following year. Now, the John Oliver Cabin, constructed c. 1822-1823 as a replacement for this first crude structure, which was located a few yards behind the cabin, is the oldest standing structure in the park.

About the stamps
On the postcard 1474

The stamps are part of the series Celebrity Chefs, issued on September 26, 2014 as Forever stamps. The five chefs honored on these stamps "revolutionized our understanding of food. Seeing cooking as a source of delight, they invited us to feast on regional and international flavors and were early but ardent champions of trends that many foodies now take for granted. As they shared their know-how, they encouraged us to undertake our own culinary adventures." Jason Seiler created the art for this issuance. Art director Greg Breeding was the designer.
• James Beard (1903-1985) - It's on the postcard 1474
• Joyce Chen (1917-1994) - It's on the postcard 1474
• Julia Child (1912-2004) - It's on the postcard 1474
• Felipe Rojas-Lombardi (1946-1991) - It's on the postcard 1475
• Edna Lewis (1916-2006) - It's on the postcard 1475

On the postcard 1592
About the first stamp, Yes, I Do, which is part of the Weddings series, I wrote here. About the second stamp, The Star-Spangled Banner, I wrote here.

On the postcard 2907
The first stamp, depicting Eastern Tailed-Blue, is part of a definitive series with butterflies, about which I wrote here. About the stamp which pays tribute to the majestic emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), I wrote here.

The third stamp is part of the series Jack-O'-Lanterns, issued on September 29, 2016 in the spirit of Halloween. The series shows the images of four different jack-o’-lanterns. These creatively carved pumpkins have been symbols of Halloween in the United States since the late 19th century, not long after celebrations of the holiday began here. These stamps are the first Halloween-themed stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service. The jack-o'-lanterns were carved by Paul Montanari and photographed by Sally Andersen-Bruce. The stamps were designed by art director Derry Noyes.
1
2
3 It's on the postcard 2907
4

The last stamp is part of the series Paws, Claws, Hooves, Scales, Fins and Feathers!, designed by Derry Noyes, and issued on August 04, 2016 dedicated to America’s favorite pets.
• puppies
• betta fish
• iguanas
• hamsters
• goldfish
• parrots
• guinea pigs
• tortoises
• rabbits
• kittens
• corn snakes
• mice
• hermit crabs
• chinchillas
• gerbils
• dogs
• parakeets - It's on the postcard 2907
• horses
• cats
• geckos

This is a post for Sunday Stamps II-11, run by Violet Sky from See It On A Postcard. The theme of this week is: Faces. Click here to visit Violet’s blog and all the other participants.

References
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Wikipedia
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - UNESCO official website
Cades Cove - Wikipedia

Sender 1474: Denise
Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 29.12.2014
Sender 1592: Denise
Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 15.02.2014
Photo: Bill Lea
Sender 2907: Denise
Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 05.12.2016
Photo: Jim Ferrell