Miss Harriett Mann lived in Lancaster, the charming and historic city in southeast Pennsylvania.
Harriett’s address on West King Street is no longer a residential building.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancaster,_Pennsylvania
In December of 1917. Harriett received a patriotic postcard from Frank.
Frank mailed the postcard from Augusta, the city in east-central Georgia -across the Savannah River from Augusta, South Carolina.
This area was the center of intense cotton production by enslaved people in the years before the American Civil War.
In the early 20th century, Augusta became a fashionable resort, and now hosts the Master’s Golf Tournament each Spring.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augusta,_Georgia
+ + + + + + +
The face of the postcard is a rendering of a common image of Colonial American fervor,
The famous trio – wielding a flag, fife, and drums – marches above a printed title, “Our Heritage”.
Beneath the title is the italicized proclamation, “The Spirit of 1776”.
The United States was at war in 1917, in the quest to “Make the World Safe for Democracy”.
The imperialist pretensions of the German Kaiser were widely condemned in the US, and the assumption that America was insulated from such tyranny was almost universal.
+ + + + + + +
On the reverse, Frank reports, “We are all well and happy”.
The household is “hoping to hear from you”.
There are no clues about the relationship between Frank and Harriett – they may be family members.
One hopes that Harriett responded to the plea for news, and that she and Frank maintained regular correspondence.
+ + + + + +
I am posting this century-old image for the Fourth of July – at a time when such a proclamation is ambiguous.
Our nation no longer shares a common understanding of “liberty” or “freedom”.
One hopes that we may see a time when these symbols reflect the generous ideals of “life, liberty. and the pursuit of happiness” for all.
