US #5548
2021 Forebay Barn in Spring – Barns (From Pane of 20)
- Showcases the beauty of a forebay barn in spring
- Also issued in coil format
Stamp Category: Definitive
Set: Barns
Value: 36¢ Postcard Rate (Nondenominated)
First Day of Issue: January 24, 2021
First Day City: Barnesville, Geor... more
US #5548
2021 Forebay Barn in Spring – Barns (From Pane of 20)
- Showcases the beauty of a forebay barn in spring
- Also issued in coil format
Stamp Category: Definitive
Set: Barns
Value: 36¢ Postcard Rate (Nondenominated)
First Day of Issue: January 24, 2021
First Day City: Barnesville, Georgia
Quantity Issued: 100,000,000
Printed by: Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Panes of 20
Tagging: Phosphor Tagged Paper, Block
Why the stamp was issued: To cover the postcard rate and celebrate the beauty and history of forebay barns in the United States.
About the stamp design: Features a digital painting by Kim Johnson of a forebay barn in spring.
First Day City: The First Day of Issue postmark was from Barnesville, Georgia. There was no First Day of Issue Ceremony.
About the Barns set: Includes four designs picturing digital paintings by Kim Johnson. Each showcases a different style of barn in a different season. The stamps celebrate the rich history of barns in the United States as well as their visual appeal and cultural significance.
History the stamp represents: A Pennsylvania barn is a barn design that was popular in the United States from around 1790 to 1900. It can be easily distinguished from other barn types by a prominent forebay. A forebay is a place on the barn where one or more walls overshoot the foundation. Most Pennsylvania barns have gable roofs and almost all were built into the sides of hills. This allowed the farmer to easily access the basement and the ground level of the barn.
Historian Robert Ensminger has divided Pennsylvania barns into three distinct types: standard, Sweitzer, and extended Pennsylvania barns. According to Ensminger, “The standard Pennsylvania barn is the most numerous and widely distributed class of the Pennsylvania barns.” He goes on to name the Sweitzer as “the original Pennsylvania barn.” The extended Pennsylvania was a larger version of the standard.
Pennsylvania barns became popular as they could be built to suit any farmer’s needs. They could range from 20 feet long to over 100. They could be used to keep horses or cows, or even sheep or pigs. Animals were kept on the lower level while the upper level was used to process and store hay and grain.
Pennsylvania barns have stood the test of time, and many historic buildings can be found throughout America today.
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