US #5977a
2025 Battles of Lexington & Concord: Old North Bridge

• Commemorates first battles of the Revolutionary War
• Part of Battlefields of the American Revolution set
• Honors the 250^th Anniversary of the start of Revolutionary War
• Part of multiyear celebration of America...  more

US #5977a
2025 Battles of Lexington & Concord: Old North Bridge

• Commemorates first battles of the Revolutionary War
• Part of Battlefields of the American Revolution set
• Honors the 250^th Anniversary of the start of Revolutionary War
• Part of multiyear celebration of America’s 250^th birthday
  
  

Stamp Category:  Commemorative
Set:  Battlefields of the American Revolution
Value:   73¢, First-Class mail rate (Forever)
First Day of Issue:  April 16, 2025
First Day City:  Concord, Massachusetts
Quantity Issued:  15,000,000
Printed by:  Banknote Corporation of America
Printing Method:  Offset/Flexographic
Format:  Panes of 15

Why the stamp was issued:  This stamp is part of a pane of 15 issued to commemorate five significant battles of the Revolutionary War and the 250^th anniversary of the start of the war.

About the stamp design:  The Battle of Lexington and Concord stamp shows a photograph of the Old North Bridge.  Each battlefield is portrayed using a modern photograph of the site, along with an illustration of the battle spanning two stamps.  US Postal Service art director Derry Noyes chose Greg Harlin to illustrate the battle scenes using watercolor paintings.

First Day City:  The First Day of Issue ceremony took place at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Massachusetts.  This is the site of the opening battle of the American Revolution.

About the Battlefields of the American Revolution Set:  The American Revolution was defining struggle that tested the courage and resolve of the colonies in their quest for independence.  From the first shots fired in Massachusetts to the final surrender in Virginia, these battles were the baptism of fire in which a new nation was forged. 
Lexington and Concord (April 19, 1775) ignited the war when Briths troops clashed with colonial militia.  The “shot heard ‘round the world” at Lexington was followed by a colonial victory at Concord, Marking the start of open rebellion.  At Bunker Hill (June 17, 1775), despite losing the battle, the Americans showed they could stand up to the British.  The costly British victory demonstrated the resolve of the colonial forces and made them realize the war would not be easily won.
After leading a late-night crossing of the Delaware River, Washington commanded his troops in a daring attack on a Hessian garrison in Trenton on December 26, 1776.  A turning point of the war, it boosted American morale and reinvigorated the Revolution.  The Battle of Saratoga (1777) was a decisive win that convinced France to formally ally with America, strengthening the colonial cause.  Finally, at Yorktown (1781), Washington’s forces, with French support, forced British General Cornwallis to surrender, effectively ending the war and securing American independence.

History the stamp represents: The morning air crackled with tension.  Across the wooden span of North Bridge, colonial militiamen – farmers, blacksmiths, shopkeepers – faced the disciplined ranks of British regulars.  Moments earlier, smoke had risen from Concord.  The Redcoats had come to seize weapons, but now, anger boiled over.  Someone fired.  No one could say who.  But that single shot echoed across the world.
Here, at this bridge, Americans fired their first organized volley of the Revolution.  The British faltered then broke, retreating in shock.  It was an astonishing moment – the world’s greatest military power driven back by everyday men defending their homes.  Their victory proved that courage and determination could stand against an empire.
A rebuilt North Bridge stands today, a solemn reminder of April 19, 1775.  Now part of the Minute Man National Historical Park, it gives visitors the chance to walk in the footsteps of revolution.
The bridge’s classic design is featured on this stamp and brings one of the most important moments of Revolutionary history to life – the war’s beginning on a bridge in Concord.