1992 UNITED STATES (Kentucky) - Kentucky map

Bordered by West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio, Kentucky is situated in the Upland South. Its northern border is formed by the Ohio River and its western border by the Mississippi River. Originally a part of Virginia, in 1792 Kentucky became the 15th state to join the Union. It is known as the "Bluegrass State", a nickname based on the bluegrass found in many of its pastures due to fertile soil. One of the major regions in Kentucky is the Bluegrass region in central Kentucky which houses two of its major cities, Louisville and Lexington, and also the capital city, Frankfort.

It is a land with diverse environments and abundant resources, including the world's longest cave system, Mammoth Cave National Park, and the greatest length of navigable waterways and streams in the contiguous US. Kentucky is also home to the highest per capita number of deer and turkey in the US, the largest free-ranging elk herd east of the Mississippi River, and the nation's most productive coalfield. Kentucky is also known for horse racing, bourbon distilleries, automobile manufacturing, tobacco, bluegrass music, college basketball, and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC).

French explorers in the 17th century documented numerous tribes living in Kentucky until the Beaver Wars in the 1670s. The Iroquois had controlled much of the Ohio River valley for hunting from their bases in what is now New York. The Shawnee from the northwest and Cherokee from the south also sent parties into the area regularly for hunting. Today there are two state recognized tribes in Kentucky, the Southern Cherokee Nation of Kentucky and the Ridgetop Shawnee. After the end of the Revolutionary War the residents of Kentucky County petitioned for a separation from Virginia, of which they obtained in 1792, when Kentucky became the 15th state of the US.

It was one of the border states during the Civil War, and it remained officially neutral. The Black Patch Tobacco Wars, a vigilante action, occurred in the area in the early 20th century. From the beginning, Kentucky gained recognition for its excellent farming conditions. It was the site of the first commercial winery in the United States, and is a major horse breeding area. Today Kentucky's economy has expanded to importance in non agricultural terms as well, especially in auto manufacturing, energy fuel production, and medical facilities.

About the stamps
About the first stamp, depicting the president Abraham Lincoln, I wrote here.

The second stamp is part of the series dedicated to the bicentennial of The War of 1812. This series started in 2012 and continued every year with a forever stamp. Sometimes called "the forgotten conflict," The War of 1812 was a two-and-a-half-year confrontation between Great Britain and United States, which brought the second one to the verge of bankruptcy and disunion.

2015.01.18 - Battle of New Orleans - It's on the postcard 1653
2014.09.13 - The bombardment of Fort McHenry - It's on the postcard 1992
2013.09.10 - The Battle of Lake Erie -
2012.08.18 - USS Constitution -

The stamp’s subject for the third year of the war is the bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, in September 1814. Using mixed media, stamp artist Greg Harlin, a specialist in historical paintings, depicts the battle from the vantage point of a group of soldiers manning a cannon in defense of Fort McHenry. Greg Breeding served as art director and designer for the stamp.

The third stamp is the last of three stamps issued in 2013 as part of a civil rights series, about which I wrote here.

References
Kentucky - Wikipedia

Sender: Denise
Sent from Greenvale (New York / United States), on 07.11.2014
Photo: Dan Dry