The Postal Service celebrated new Forever stamps commemorating the nation’s historic railroad stations on March 9 in Cincinnati.
“We are fortunate to be in this awe-inspiring building, the Cincinnati Union Terminal, one of the five incredible train stations to be featured in the stamp series we are dedicating today,” said Dan Tangherlini, a member of the USPS Board of Governors, who served as the dedicating official.
“This train station and the others on these stamps provide a majestic and significant history about these buildings that has led to their preservation, reactivation and reuse,” he said.
The other architecturally iconic stations are Pennsylvania’s Tamaqua Station; Point of Rocks Station in Maryland; Main Street Station in Richmond, VA; and Santa Fe Station in San Bernardino, CA. All five stations are on the National Register of Historic Places.
The United States was still in its infancy when rail transportation became feasible in the 1820s.
The first stations were built in the early 1830s, and noteworthy stations began appearing by the 1870s.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, railroads were the only practical means of traveling long distances. And, like the postal system, railroads played an essential role in growing the economy and binding the nation together.
Art direction for the stamps was provided by Derry Noyes. Down the Street Designs created the images and typography.
The Railroad Stations stamps are available in panes of 20 at Post Offices and usps.com.
