Mountainous Karabagh: Random Thoughts

Vahe H. Apelian 

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The First Stamps Issued by the Republic of Mountainous Karabagh in 1992.

Artskakh will celebrate its independence tomorrow, on September 2, I read; but I prefer the name Mountainous Karabagh for a variety of reasons, I can cite.

-                In late 1980’s the call from Armenia was uniting with Karabagh. The term Artsakh was not heard then.

-                The committee of young men who led the movement in Armenia to have Nagorno-Karabagh Autonomous Oblast (NKAO) - Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Ինքնաւար Մարզ - join Armenia, was called the Karabagh Committee and its members played historical roles in ensuing post-Soviet Armenia history. There was no Artsakh committee at the onset of the movement.

-                After the liberation war, the very first stamps that the newly independent enclave issued was in the name of the Republic of Mountainous Karabagh. Sometime in late 1990’s the term Karabagh gave way to Atsakh and the last stamps that were issued bear the term the Republic of Artsakh.

-                There is also the adjective - mountainous – that I like. The term mountainous conjures to me the image of fiercely independent people who carved a living on the mountains, which by their nature are not hospitable places to make a living. The people must tame the mountains to eke out a living. 

Such was the image I had conjured in my mind when our high school graduating class visited Armenia and Artsakh in 2015, to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of our high school graduation from the Armenian Evangelical College.

I do not recall how many hours it took for our bus to make the journey from Yerevan to Stepanakert. But the realization that we are leaving Armenia and entering Karabagh dawned on us at the boarder when we handed our passports for registration. The flags of Armenia and Karabagh were waving. It was a sight to behold for me.

Thereafter we entered Karabagh singing patriotic songs. Those were the days of unfounded euphoria, as euphorias are. 

Henceforth we seem to have transfixed to absorb the terrain. Our first stop was in Shushi where we got out of the bus and entered the historical church of Karabagh, the Holy Savior Cathedral (Armenian: Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ մայր տաճար, Surb Amenap′rkich mayr tachar), commonly referred to as Ghazanchetsots (Armenian: Ղազանչեցոց), to pay homage to the fallen.

Our stay in Karabagh was only for two days. But the trip gave me the comfort I needed. Having seen the mountains and the gorges of Karabagh, I said to myself, come what may, no outside force can occupy this mountainous terrain and rule over its inhabitants as they stay put on their ancient grounds.

One of the last Stamps Issued by the Republic of Artsakh Just Prior to Artsakh War.

But several years later, the November 9, 2020 capitulation of Armenia and Karabagh came about and a decisive chapter in our history came about as well.

If there was anything that I conclusively draw from this tragic experience is the disastrous exodus of the Karabagh Armenians at the start of the war and the possibility that it may happen again as the victor and vanquished inevitably come to terms.

I am no military strategist, but I firmly believe that a land is conquered by the foot soldiers.  Bombs do cannot conquer a terrain, no matter how intensive. To make my point, I will not refer to the bombings of London during the second world war, nor upon the aerial destruction of Berlin by the allied forces, but dwell upon the tiny Mediterranean Island. The intense bombing of Nazi Germany could not even subdue the island of Malta as the Maltese stood firmly on the ground there. But Karabagh was depopulated very early on. The flight of the inhabitants in cars after cars was an ominous sight. The country was left to the combatants to guard the terrain by guarding the boarder lines of contact, that were bound to collapse. Once the boarders were breached, there was no resistance to the advancing enemy army on the ground. All they had in front of them were abandoned towns, and cities such as Sushi and Stepanakert for their  further taking. Karabagh did not become the Stalingrad we envisioned it would be.

Do I blame the Karabagh inhabitants for abandoning their towns and cities? Of course not. I believe that I have no moral authority whatsoever to pass a blame to Armenians in Armenia or in Karabagh, who have their boots on the theater in military parlance, or their shoes on the ground. I wore no boots and my shoes are grounded in a far distant land, we call the Armenian Diaspora. Also for a simple reason. The inhabitants of Karabagh lacked fortified shelters. 

There were calls in the Armenia press to fortify Karabagh. It is said that the landlock Switzerland has enough bunkers to hold its entire population and more, in case of war. But during the past quarter of century, the prevailing mindset in Karabagh appeared not to prepare to hunker down in bunkers in case of war. We took pride in the new businesses that were being erected, in the hotels that were hosting tourists, and newer buildings, many luxorios that were being built. There were no fortifications that were built to shelter the people of Karabagh. Hence the logical course for them was to flee.

-                The greatest post war peril is also the possibility of the depopulation of Karabagh. A depopulated Karabagh was for the enemy to conquer. More than any other issue, the depopulation of what is left of the Mountainous Republic of Karabagh, will also be the cause of its demise and will relegate Karabagh into our history much like Zeitoun or Sassoun are. The Armenians worldwide need to galvanize their efforts to assist Karabagh Armenians remain foot in Karabagh, no matter what.

 On December 12, 2020, the Armenian Postal Authority (ՀԱՅՓՈՍՏ) issued seven First Day Covers stamped on the envelope WE WILL LIVE TO WIN (ԱՊՐԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ ՈՐ ՅԱՂԹԵՆՔ). These first day covers are dedicated to Artsakh and are stamped MY NAME IS ARTSAKH, WE WILL WIN.  Each of the seven stamps proclaim the following and bear the following denomination:  # WE WILL WIN (ՀԱՂԹԵԼՈՒ ԵՆ)-120 Dram, # WE WILL SING (ՊԱՐԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)- 220, # WE WILL SMILE (ԺՊՏԵԼՈՒ ԵՆ)-230 Dram, #WE WILL SING (ԵՐԳԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)-280 Dram, #WE WILL PAINT (ՆԿԱՐԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)-330 Dram, #WE WILL PLAY MUSIC (ՆՈՒԱԳԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)-380, # WE WILL CREATE (ՍՏԵՂԾԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)-500 Dram
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Լեռնային Ղարաբաղ. պատահական մտքեր

Վահէ Հ. Ափելեան 

Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Հանրապետության թողարկած առաջին նամականիշները 1992թ.

Ես նախընտրում եմ Լեռնային Ղարաբաղ անունը տարբեր պատճառներով, կարող եմ մեջբերել:

-                 1980-ականների վերջին Հայաստանից հնչող կոչը միանալու էր Ղարաբաղին։ Այն ժամանակ Արցախ տերմինը չէր հնչում։

-                 Երիտասարդ տղաների կոմիտեն, որը ղեկավարում էր Հայաստանում Խորհրդային Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի մարզը Հայաստանին միացնելու շարժումը, կոչվում էր «Ղարաբաղ» կոմիտե, և նրա անդամները պատմական դերակատարում ունեցան հետխորհրդային Հայաստանի պատմության մեջ: Շարժման սկզբում արցախյան կոմիտե չկար։

-Ազատամարտից                 հետո նորանկախ անկլավի թողարկած առաջին նամականիշները եղել են Լեռնային Ղարաբաղի Հանրապետության անունով։ 1990-ականների վերջերին Ղարաբաղ տերմինը իր տեղը զիջեց Ացախին, իսկ վերջին նամականիշները, որոնք թողարկվեցին, կրում էին Արցախի Հանրապետություն տերմինը։

-Կա                 նաև լեռնային ածականը, որն ինձ դուր է գալիս: «Լեռնային» տերմինն ինձ մոտ ներշնչում է կատաղի անկախ մարդկանց կերպարը, ովքեր իրենց ապրուստը փորագրել են լեռների վրա, որոնք իրենց բնույթով ապրելու համար հյուրընկալ վայրեր չեն: Ժողովուրդը պետք է ընտելացնի սարերը, որ ապրի: 

Այսպիսի պատկեր էի կերտել իմ մտքում, երբ մեր ավագ դպրոցի ավարտական ​​դասարանը այցելեց Հայաստան և Արցախ 2015 թվականին՝ նշելու  Հայ Ավետարանական քոլեջի մեր միջնակարգ դպրոցն ավարտելու 50-ամյակը ^:

Չեմ հիշում, թե քանի ժամ տևեց մեր ավտոբուսը Երևանից Ստեփանակերտ ճանապարհին։ Բայց այն գիտակցումը, որ մենք լքում ենք Հայաստանը և մտնում Ղարաբաղ, մեզ վրա հասավ սահմանին, երբ մենք հանձնեցինք մեր անձնագրերը գրանցման: Ծածանվում էին Հայաստանի և Ղարաբաղի դրոշները։ Դա ինձ համար դիտելի տեսարան էր:

Դրանից հետո հայրենասիրական երգեր երգելով մտանք Ղարաբաղ։ Մտքիս եկավ հետևյալ երգը. Չեմ հիշում՝ երգել ենք ավտոբուսում, թե ոչ 

Այսուհետ մենք կարծես թե փոխակերպվել ենք՝ կլանելու տեղանքը: Our first stop was in Shushi where we got out of the bus and entered the history church of Karabagh, the Holy Savior Cathedral (Armenian: Սուրբ Ամենափրկիչ մայր տաճար, Surb Amenap′rkich mayr tachar), commonly reference to as Ghazanchetsots (Armenian: Ղազանչեցոց). ), հարգանքի տուրք մատուցել ընկածներին։

Մեր մնալը Ղարաբաղում ընդամենը երկու օր էր։ Բայց ճամփորդությունն ինձ տվեց ինձ անհրաժեշտ հարմարավետությունը: Տեսնելով Ղարաբաղի լեռներն ու կիրճերը՝ ես ինքս ինձ ասացի, ինչ էլ լինի, ոչ մի դրսի ուժ չի կարող գրավել այս լեռնային տեղանքը և իշխել նրա բնակիչների վրա, քանի որ նրանք գտնվում են իրենց հնագույն տարածքում։

Արցախյան պատերազմից առաջ Արցախի Հանրապետության թողարկված վերջին նամականիշներից մեկը։

Բայց մի քանի տարի անց տեղի ունեցավ 2020 թվականի նոյեմբերի 9-ի Հայաստանի և Ղարաբաղի կապիտուլյացիան և մեր պատմության որոշիչ էջը նույնպես։

Եթե ​​որևէ բան կար, որ ես վերջնականապես քաղում եմ այս ողբերգական փորձից, ապա պատերազմի սկզբում Ղարաբաղի հայերի աղետալի արտագաղթը:  

Ես ռազմական ստրատեգ չեմ, բայց համոզված եմ, որ հողը գրավում են հետիոտնները։ Ռումբերը չեն կարող գրավել տեղանքը, որքան էլ ինտենսիվ լինի: Իմ տեսակետը հաստատելու համար ես չեմ անդրադառնա Երկրորդ համաշխարհային պատերազմի ժամանակ Լոնդոնի ռմբակոծությանը, այլ կանդրադառնամ Միջերկրական ծովի փոքրիկ կղզուն: Նացիստական ​​Գերմանիայի ինտենսիվ ռմբակոծությունը չկարողացավ նույնիսկ զսպել Մալթա կղզին, քանի որ մալթացիները ամուր կանգնած էին այնտեղ գետնին: Բայց Ղարաբաղը շատ վաղ էր հայաթափվել։ Բնակիչների փախուստը մեքենաներով մեքենաների հետևից չարագուշակ տեսարան էր. Երկիրը մնաց մարտիկների վրա՝ պահպանելու սահմանային գծերը պահպանող տեղանքը, որը պետք է փլուզվեր: Երբ սահմանները ճեղքվեցին, գետնի վրա հակառակորդի հետախույզներին դիմադրություն չեղավ: Նրանց առաջ միայն լքված քաղաքներն էին, ինչպես Ստեփանակերտն ու Սուշին։

Արդյո՞ք ես մեղադրում եմ ղարաբաղցիներին, որ նրանք լքել են իրենց քաղաքներն ու քաղաքները։ Իհարկե ոչ, հետևյալ պատճառով. ես կարծում եմ, որ որևէ բարոյական լիազորություն չունեմ մեղադրելու հայաստանցի կամ ղարաբաղցի հայերին, ովքեր իրենց կոշիկները թատրոնում են զինվորական լեզվով, կամ կոշիկները գետնին: Ես ոչ մի կոշիկ չէի կրում, և իմ կոշիկները հիմնված են մի հեռավոր երկրում, որը մենք անվանում ենք հայկական սփյուռք:

Բայց ես անում եմ հետևյալ եզրակացությունները, որոնք որոշիչ դեր են խաղացել և կխաղան հետպատերազմյան էվոլյուցիայում.

Ղարաբաղի բնակիչները զուրկ էին ամրացված ապաստարաններից։ Հայկական մամուլում Ղարաբաղն ամրացնելու կոչեր եղան։ Ասում են, որ դեպի ծով ելք չունեցող Շվեյցարիան բավական բունկերներ ունի իր ողջ բնակչությանը և ավելին պատերազմի դեպքում պահելու համար։ Սակայն անցած քառորդ դարի ընթացքում Ղարաբաղում տիրող մտածելակերպը կարծես թե չի պատրաստվում պատերազմի դեպքում սուլելուն: Մենք հպարտանում էինք նոր բիզնեսներով, որոնք կառուցվում էին, հյուրանոցներով, որոնք հյուրընկալում էին զբոսաշրջիկներին, և ավելի նոր շենքերով, բազմաթիվ շքեղությամբ, որոնք կառուցվում էին: Չկային ամրություններ, որոնք կառուցված էին ղարաբաղցիներին պատսպարելու համար։ Ուստի նրանց տրամաբանական ընթացքը փախուստն էր։

-                 Հետպատերազմյան ամենամեծ վտանգը Ղարաբաղի հայաթափման հավանականությունն է։ Հայաթափված Ղարաբաղը պետք է թշնամին նվաճեր։ Ավելի քան որևէ այլ խնդիր, Ղարաբաղի լեռնային հանրապետությունից մնացածի հայաթափումը լինելու է նրա կործանման պատճառը և Ղարաբաղը մեր պատմության մեջ կնվազի, ինչպես որ Զեյթունն ու Սասունն են: Աշխարհասփյուռ հայերը պետք է ակտիվացնեն իրենց ջանքերը Ղարաբաղին աջակցելու համար Հայերը մնում են Ղարաբաղում, անկախ ամեն ինչից:

 2020 թվականի դեկտեմբերի 12-ին Հայաստանի փոստային վարչությունը (ՀԱՅՓՈՍՏ) թողարկեց յոթ Առաջին օրվա շապիկներ՝ դրոշմված ծրարի վրա WE WILL LIVE TO WIN (ԱՊՐԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ ՈՐ ՅԱՂԹԵՆՔ): Այս առաջին օրվա շապիկները նվիրված են Արցախին և դրոշմված են ԻՄ ԱՆՈՒՆՆ ԱՐՑԱԽ Է, ՄԵՆՔ ԿՀԱՂԹԵՆՔ։ Յոթ նամականիշներից յուրաքանչյուրը հռչակում է հետևյալը և կրում է հետևյալ անվանումը՝  # WE WIN WIN (ՀԱՂԹԵԼՈՒ ԵՆ)-120 Dram, # WE WILL SING (ՊԱՐԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)- 220, # WE WILL SMILE (ԺՊՏԵԼՈՒ ԵՆ)-230 Dram, # WE WILL SING (ԵՐԳԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)-280 Dram, #WE WILL PAINT (ՆԿԱՐԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)-330 Dram, #WE WILL PLAY MUSIC (ՆՈՒԱԳԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)-380, # WE WILL CREATE (ՍՏԵՂԾԵԼՈՒ ԵՆՔ)-500 Dram.   

Armenag Yeghiayan's Opus: A Magnanimous Gesture

 Vahe H. Apelian

Google-ի Հայերէն թարգմանութիւնը կարդալ սեղմելով Armenian տարբերակը 

A few days ago, the director of the Gulbenkian Foundation Armenian Department Razmig Panossian, who is a staunch supporter for the preservation of the Western Armenian language, which UNESCO a few years ago classified as an endangered language, happily announced that Armenag Yeghiayan’s “A Manual for Western Armenian: An Orthographic, Orthoepic and Stylistic Guide” is now available on Nayiri.com.  

Dr. Panossian further noted that: “This extensive and detailed guidebook for the Western Armenian language, with its unique approach and format, closes a big gap that has existed in the Western Armenian-speaking world for many years.” The manual, which is 860 pages long, provides an electronic tool for the proper or correct usage of the western Armenian language. He also noted that the manual “is the result of Dr. Armenag Yeghiayan’s dedicated work throughout his entire adult life.” Indeed, the manual or the guide, is the culmination of Armenag Yeghiayan’s life-long quest for the mastery of the Western Armenian language, of which he is acknowledged as an undisputed authority. He has graciously donated his literary opus, be it a manual or a guide, available for public’s use. A magnanimous gesture, indeed. 

Armenag Yeghiayan is senior to me by a handful years. In 1962, our graduating class from the Sourp (Saint) Nshan Armenian  Middle School in Beirut had him as our teacher either of science or math. Our graduating class and the teachers had a memorable bus trip together visiting landmarks along the Lebanese coast. I had kept pictures of that trip in an album my mother sent me after I immigrated to the U.S. The attached picture of Armenag is from that trip.

Teachers: Hagop Manougian, Kevork Baghdjian, Armenag Yeghiayan, 1962

At that time, he was studying dentistry at the Université Saint Joseph – St. Joseph University.  It was an open secret to the students that he and a student named Houry, a year junior to us, had special relationship. Consequently, years later, I was not surprised to find out that they were married and are now parents of three grown up sons and a daughter. One of his sons has followed his father’s professional footsteps and is a practicing dentist in Lebanon.

A few years ago, thanks to the social media, I connected with him. Naturally our student and teacher relationship had become a thing of the past and I was able to bridge that natural gap and  connect with him on an intellectual level as I had already established a visualization of his literary pursuits because, on and off, I had come across and read the articles he posted in the Armenian press about the Western Armenian language or the Armenian language in general. 

Nowadays, every Sunday and every Wednesday, with utmost regularity he sends an email to friends. He titles his Sunday emails as “Sunday Readings – Կիրակնօրեայ Ընթերցումներ” where he posts articles about language. He titles his weekly Wednesday’s emails as “The Armenian Is Getting Funnier – Հայերէնը Կը Զուարճանայ”, where he literary does not spare the editors of the Armenian journals for the linguistic errors they make or allow in the journals they edit. His bold approach does not surprise me for as students we had already conjured an image of him having a very determined personality. 

Armenag Yeghiayan is also so punctual that when I did not see the Wednesday’s expected email from him in my inbox, I contacted a mutual friend in Beirut to find out if Armenag is doing well. It turned out, for reasons only Yahoo knows, it had classified that Wednesday’s email, where he also posts the week’s Western Armenian language usage quiz, as a spam and directed the email there. 

Over the past few years, I also translated a few of the stories he shared. These stories were driven from his visits to Armenia or personal experiences in greater Beirut. Armenag is a superb narrator. It is a pleasure and captivating to read the stories he writes. I linked to one of my translations. The rest may be searched in my blog.  ( https://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2018/01/christmas-fairytales-from-bourj-hammoud.html )

The Gulbenkain Foundation also thanked the following for proof reading and designing the manual; “ Lorig Sabounjian-Dzadourian (project coordinator and manager), Haroutiun Kurkjian (supervising editor), Vrej-Armen Artinian (editor in chief) and Serouj Ourishian (Nayiri website) for their dedication and conscientious work. We also thank Marina Chil Aposhian-Boghigian for undertaking the challenging and careful pagination, and Nouneh Khudaverdyan for the overall artistic design.”

The Nayiri site, rightfully boasts that it has digitalized and made available for public’s use 132 dictionaries and three language related books. One of those three books is Dr. Armenag Yeghiayan’s “A Manual for Western Armenian: An Orthographic, Orthoepic and Stylistic Guide”. 

***

PHILATELY: AMERICA: Land of Superlatives

On May 27, 2006, the USPS issued a stamp sheet honoring 40 American natural and man-made superlatives. 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. Artist Lonnie Busch, who had created the artwork for the 2002 Greetings from America issue, illustrated the stamps.  Each of the Wonders of America stamps features large lettering describing the superlative plus smaller type detailing the name or location of the featured subject.  More information about each of the wonders was also printed on the backs of the stamps describing the tallest, loudest, longest, deepest, largest, windiest, hottest, and the fastest as a colorful set of 40 stamps ((#4023-72). Courtesy Mysticstamp.com

 

 LARGEST REPTILE: 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.

LARGEST SEA CLIFFS: 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.

LARGEST CACTUS: 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.

LARGEST GLACIER: 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.

TALLEST DUNES: 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.”

LARGEST ESTUARY: 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.

LARGEST CLIFF DWELLING: 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.

DEEPEST LAKE: 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.

LARGEST LAND MAMMAL: 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.

LARGEST REEF: 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.

LONGEST HIKING TRAIL: 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. 

TALLEST MAN-MADE MONUMENT: 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.

OLDEST MOUNTAINS: 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.

LARGEST FLOWER: 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.

LARGEST LAKE: 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.

FASTEST LAND ANIMAL: 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.

OLDEST TREES: 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.

TALLEST WATERFALL: 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.

LARGEST DESERT: 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.

LONGEST SPAN: 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.

WINDIEST PLACE: 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.

LARGEST CANYON: 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.

LARGEST FROG: 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.

TALLEST DAM: 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.

FASTEST BIRD: 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. 

LARGEST DELTA: 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. 

TALLEST GEYSER: 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.  

LARGEST NATURAL BRIDGE: 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.

LARGEST FRESH WATER FISH: 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

LONGEST MOUNTAIN CHAIN: 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.

TALLEST TREES: 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.

LARGEST RODENT: 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.

LARGEST RIVER SYSTEM: 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.  

RAINIEST SPOT: 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.

MOST ACTIVE VOLACANO: 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.

LONGEST CAVE: 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.

LOUDEST ANIMAL: 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. 

HOTTEST SPOT: 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. 

LARGEST COVERED BRIDGE: 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.

LARGEST PLANT: 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.