1980 15c Windmills: Texas

U.S. #1742
1980 15¢ Southwestern Windmill
Windmills
Issue Date: February 7, 1980
City: Lubbock, TX
Printed By: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Printing Method: Engraved
Perforations: 11
Color: Sepia

The earliest-known windmills were used in Persia around 644 A.D. and were later adopted by the Europeans in the 12th century. For over 650 years, these devices were an important source of power. However, the discovery of steam power in the early 19th century brought about a gradual decline in their use. Although many people think only of picturesque windmills dotting the Dutch countryside, they were widely used on American farms throughout the 1700 and 1800s. Today, many of these graceful structures have disappeared, but the possibility of electrical power generated by wind has been under study in recent years.

The 1980 15-cent Windmills: Texas stamp is the fifth and final stamp in the Windmills booklet pane issued by the US Postal Service on February 7, 1980, in Lubbock, Texas. The stamp depicts a southwestern-style windmill, a design closely associated with the vast ranching landscapes of the Lone Star State. Printed by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing using the engraved method in sepia, the stamp is perforated 11 and was issued as part of a series celebrating the rich history of windmill technology across different regions of the United States.

Windmills played a vital role in the development of the American West, and nowhere more so than in Texas, where access to groundwater was essential for ranching and farming across millions of acres of dry, open land. The multi-blade water-pumping windmill became a defining feature of the Texas landscape throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, allowing settlers to tap into underground aquifers far from any river or stream. This stamp honors that practical and enduring legacy, making it a meaningful addition to any collection focused on American history, agriculture, or the development of the frontier West.