Exploration

Explorer Adolphus Washington Greely was born on March 27, 1844, in Newburyport, Massachusetts. He served with the Union Army during the Civil War and later led a polar expedition. Greely was the second person in history to receive a Medal of Honor for “lifetime achievement.”

On February 23, 1540, Francisco Vazquez de Coronado embarked on a large expedition through the American Southwest in search of the Seven Cities of Gold. Though he didn’t find the mythical cities, his was the first European expedition to see a number of sights in the area.

On February 10, 1807, President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation to establish the United States Survey of the Coast.  This later became the US Coast and Geodetic Survey and eventually the National Geodetic Survey.

On December 4, 1674, Father Marquette erected the first building in what would later become Chicago.

Arctic explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson was born on November 3, 1879, in Manitoba, Canada. 

On October 9, 1825, the sloop Restauration arrived in the United States, marking what is often considered the first organized emigration from Norway to the US.

On September 26, 1820, famed American pioneer and explorer Daniel Boone died in St. Charles County, Missouri.

On July 11, 1996, the USPS issued a set of four stamps honoring American Folk Heroes.

World Stamp Expo 2000 opened on July 7, 2000.  Several US postal firsts were issued during the show, including the first round, pentagonal, and holographic stamps.