WHAT ITIS ALL ABOUT --

THE BARNSTORMERS!!!JULY 29 2012 ...

I mentioned the Barnstormers picnic.  I am sure you are wondering what it is all about.

The Barnstormers are an organization, with about 200 members at the present time from all over the country, whose purpose is to try to preserve the history of the MAIL POUCH BARNS.  In case you didn't know, Mail Pouch barns was the FIRST roadside advertising done in this country along numerous roads.

This year we had a contest - who can build the best birdhouse, the winner and runner up winning a year of two with their membership dues paid in full.  Here is a pic of this years first place winner, 2 year member Judy Humphrey and her entry:

Judy then donated her piece to the auction. 

No, we do not promote, condone, or encourage anyone to smoke or chew Mail Pouch Tobacco.

In 1879 the Bloch brothers owned a dry goods store in Wheelig WV.  On the second floor of the building they rolled cigars and stogies.

The tobacco left over from the clipped ends was, originally discarded.  Then the  idea formed.  They mixed the tobacco with a licorice flavoring which was then placed in a jar for sale as chewing tobacco.

The 'chew' sold quickly, and by 1880 the brothers decided to package the 'chew' under their brand, but they needed a name.
So a contest was held to name the 'chew'.

Remember in those days mail was delivered by pony express.  The bags holding the 'chew' resembled very small pony express mail bags.  A pony express rider entered - and won - the contest.  His entry - MAIL POUCH.

It was around the turn of the century (1900) the brothers hit on the idea of advertising their product.  In the beginning several groups of painters, usually 2 in each group, began traveling the main roads, and wherever they spotted a barn quite visible, they stopped, and after explaining what they wanted to do, if the farmer agreed, a contract was signed, and the painting began.   The painters traveled in horse-drawn wagons. 

The painters would be on the road for approximately 8 months, staying over-night with the farm whose barn they were painting.  And for that reason, and the fact that horse-drawn wagons were very slow, only a radius of 600 miles of Wheeling ever had Mail Pouch painted on their barns.


World War II started, the barn painting stopped.  At the end of the War a veteran named Harley Warrick of Belmont Ohio signed on with the tobacco company to paint barns.  As  time went on, went on many of the painters went on to other jobs, and finally Harley was the only barn painter left on the payroll. 

Upon his retirement the company dis-continued the barn painting practice. 


Each farmer that had a sign on their barn received a small royalty check ($10.00 - $12.00) per year for each side painted.  Thus one side $10 - two sides $20) and I know of a family today still living on the home farm, with a MP barn and they still receive their royalty check once a year.

So you can see, it is the HISTORY the Barnstormers are trying to preserve.  So many of the barns are gone, fallen, the farm sold and developed the barn being torn down, the farm abandoned and time taking the barn.

One of the Barnstormers endeavors is to try to help someone who happens to own a barn or building with the MP painted on it, preserve said building and sign.  Another endeavor is to help folks to understand just what they are all about, learn the history and significance of the barns and their signs. 

Here are a couple of other tid-bits:  During the depression years this guaranteed income went a long way towards paying the taxes on the farm.  It saved many a farm from foreclosure for non-payment of taxes.

A lot of the pre-WW II signs contained the painting of a mail pouch tobacco pouch, and even the name Block Bros.

That Harley, as time went by, would deliberately mis-spell or add a word not normally seen, then in his office in Wheeling would sit and wait to see how many phone calls he got re the mistake.

For more information, find them on FACEBOOK - MAIL POUCH BARNSTORMERS, or check out their web-site www.mailpouchbarnstormers.org

I hope this helps explain what we Barnstormers are all about.  The picnic is fun, there is a 'store' where you can purchase mp memorabilia, several vendors with MP pictures, there is lots and lots of great food, a guest speaker, and an auction of MP  items that have been donated by the members, and sometimes non-members who have stumbled across something.   What a great way to spend the last Saturday in July.

Come join us next year.  Everyone is welcome, member or not.  Just be careful, you in all probability will get 'hooked"  The dues are only $20.00 per year and in return you will receive a quarterly newsletter with stories and pictures.  And you will have a great day in July.

Enjoy and God Bless.