Game Shows in which contestants competed for prizes became popular on radio (and, soon thereafter, television) in the late 1930’s. The first radio game show,
Mrs. George Davenport lived in Los Angeles, the growing city on the Pacific in southern California. The discovery of oil in the late 19th century
Mr. E. B. Cridler lived in Dansville, a village in Livingston County of western New York State. Since the middle of the 19th century, Dansville
Miss Hannah Clevenger lived in Bordentown, a small city on the Delaware River in Burlington County of west-central New Jersey. The first European settler in
In the last decade of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th, more than 150 thousand immigrants from Scandinavia settled in the
In earlier postcard stories we touched upon the dramatic career of Fred Harvey who began his career as a restaurant worker in New York and
Although gazettes, periodicals, journals, and magazines were a part of American life since the 18th century, the early 20th century saw the creation of many
This advertising postcard attracted my attention, both for the bright drawing on the face and for the whimsical suggestion that the end of the pioneer
In 1940, the Pennsylvania Turnpike opened between Irwin, PA (in Westmoreland County outside Pittsburgh) and Carlisle, PA in south-central Pennsylvania. (Extensions to the Ohio border
This unusual postcard was mailed to Mr. Russell Gates in Coatesville, then a steel manufacturing city in Chester County of southeast Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coatesville,_Pennsylvania The postcard
This colorful scene of the Rocky Mountains was printed as an advertisement of The Prudential Insurance Company. Prudential, headquartered in Newark, NJ, published postcard advertisements
(This postcard is of the latest date that I have posted – I seek to avoid using postcards related to persons who are still living.)
Mr. Edward C. Heffner lived in Ellwood, a small city in central Indiana. Elwood was first known as “Duck Creek”, and had that name when
We have seen several postcards containing magazine solicitations. Each if these offered a colorful lithograph or calendar s as gift to the subscriber. “Claim Your
The 1920’s saw an enormous increase in manufacturing operations throughout the US. Public interest in stocks and investments reached unprecedented levels, and the continuing expansion
Miss Helen L. Droessler lived in Bancroft, a small city in Kossuth County of north-central Iowa. Bancroft was platted in 1881 and named for George
Mr. Frank Beesecker lived in Orrtanna, now a census-designated place in Adams County of south-central Pennsylvania. Once the home to a tannery, Orrtanna was a
Master John Schuler was a boy growing up in Orefield, PA. Orefield is a small, unincorporated community that was named for iron deposits that were
This trade card, circa 1900, was one of thousands that were collected by the shoppers who purchased Lion Coffee. Lion was one of the first
This is an advertising card that was mailed to customers of the firm, Kreman & Buser. From the printed signature on the face, we know
The life trajectory of Theodore Presser (1848-1925) is a fascinating tale of continuous self-reinvention during the second half of the 19th century. (The full biography
Lemasters is an unincorporated community in Franklin County of south-central Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemasters,_Pennsylvania The community today is much smaller than it was at the turn of
So much freight was moved by railroads during the early 20th century that a job category of “Expressman” (originally, the security guard for gold, currency,
Mr. Henry Hall lived in Cornwall, a pretty town on the Hudson River in southern New York State – about 50 miles north of New
The trappings of luxury appeared wherever industrial fortunes were made in the early 20th century. Saint Paul, the lovely city on bluffs above a bend
Mr. A. E. Pelton lived in Chagrin Falls, a picturesque village that grew up around a series of waterfalls on the Chagrin River in northeastern
The early 20th century saw an explosion of companies that relied upon the US Postal Service. Some companies relied primarily upon mail order business –
Mrs. M. Chapman lived in Mechanicsburg, a borough of Cumberland County in south-central Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanicsburg,_Pennsylvania This rich agricultural area of the Cumberland Valley was crossed by
Miss Sarah Van Syckle lived in Hackettstown, a town on the banks of the Musconetcong River in north-central New Jersey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hackettstown,_New_Jersey Sarah had graduated from
Mr. John Homan was in Minerva, a village in northeast Ohio. Minerva straddles county lines, but most of the village is within the Canton Metropolitan
Mr. Henry Whicher (Henry Whitcher, see below) had lived in Newbury, a town on the Connecticut River in Orange County of east-central Vermont. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newbury_(town),_Vermont By
Mt. William T. Hatton lived in Coatesville, a center of steel manufacturing in Chester County of southeast Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coatesville,_Pennsylvania In July of 1914, Mr. Hatton
In the early 20th century, it was not uncommon for companies to advertise their products or services through examples of postcard art. The Fidelity Trust
Mr. John Pittinger lived in Oberlin, an unincorporated community in Dauphin County of central Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oberlin,_Pennsylvania In April of 1911, Mr. Pittinger celebrated a birthday.
Belleville is a rural community in Mifflin County of central Pennsylvania. The area was settled by Amish and Mennonite settlers in 1791, and the “Plain
Mr. Eaton lived in Woburn, the city of Middlesex County – about 9 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woburn,_Massachusetts In May of 1885, Mr. J.
In an earlier postcard story, we looked at the marvelous headquarters of the Bromo-Seltzer company in Baltimore, Maryland. In May of 1912, a wholesale druggist
In the early 2oth century, an enormous amount of business was conducted by postcards. Business correspondence is not a favorite category for postcard collectors, but
In large immigrant communities across the US, one can find statues and monuments to the heroes of the European homeland. In other postcard stories, we
Goldie Dunlap lived in Raymilton, a populated place in northwest Pennsylvania. This small community lies at a high altitude, north of Pittsburgh and south of
Mr. W. H. Brumbaugh had a problem. He had purchased a coat for his wife; the seller was Mr. J. A. Gault of Kittanning, PA.
Well into the 20th century, many households used “bluing” in the washing machine (or wash tub) to enhance white clothes. https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-use-laundry-bluing-2146367 A popular choice, circa
While I have never been especially interested in automotive engineering, I do admire the looks of classic cars. The Pontiac brand was launched in 1926
This Art Postcard advertised the F. W. Crane Company of Dresden, Germany. An office in Cincinnati, Ohio was the center for business in the United
I am posting this bit of political advertising as a sample of constituent services by a US Congressman circca 1910. Daniel Franklin Lafean was a
The Chronicle Mill was constructed along the Southern Norfolk Railway line in downtown Belmont in 1902. This construction was part of the wave of textile
When stuck in traffic on any of the “pikes” that radiate from Lancaster, PA, one might remember that each of these roadways was once a
Sometime around 1890, Dr. C. Monroe Crowell operated a Dental Parlor at the corner of East King and Duke Streets in Lancaster, PA. His lithographed
It may be hard for us to imagine the financial insecurity that underlay most lives of the 19th century. Disease and accidental death could be
Ed Harrison was born in Ireland in 1886, but was working in California by the early 20th century. His ability to sustain long dives made
I found this tax notice at a postcard exhibit, and noted immediately that the amount paid was 57 cents. Having just paid (early) my 2020
This is the second (and last) of the advertising postcards celebrating margarine that I acquired this year. In the earlier postcard story, we considered how
I am an episodic consumer of magazines and journals; have been an erstwhile subscriber to “The Atlantic Monthly”, the “New Yorker”, “Harper’s”, “National Geographic”, “The
Miss Emma Smith lived in McGregor, a small city in central Texas, southwest of Waco. In December of 1910, Emma received a Christmas postcard from
This postcard relates to the advertising strategy of Wilson & Company, once one of the largest corporations in the US. The company began as the
Mrs. Lula M. Rucker lived in Salisbury, a small city of about 1800 citizens in north central Missouri. The town was booming at the end
Charles Hood was born in Vermont in 1845, where he grew up to work in his father’s apothecary shop. In early adulthood, Charles Hood moved
Until I spent months working in New England, during seven of the last 25 years, I did not appreciate the influence of French-Canadian people in
Mr. E.C. Douglas lived in Visalia, a city in the rich agricultural area of the San Joachim Valley. In 1874, Mr. Douglas ordered a gun
The past fifty years has seen a huge decline in the number of citizens participating in fraternal organizations and mutual aid societies. The Moose, the
In October of 1910, Mr. D. M. Eshelman was living in Quarryville, PA – a community in southern Lancaster County, not far from the border
I found this unusual advertising card from the Singer Company, the largest manufacturer and purveyor of sewing machines in the world during the early 20th
Weaver Brothers of Elizabethtown, PA distributed advertising cards touting asbestos brakes and reminding motorists of the need for brake inspections. The advertising cards bear no
Mr. George Rauth sold clothes and/or did tailoring at his business, 113 North George Street in York, PA. Mr. Robert Conner of 59 South Pine
Lake George lies on the eastern border of New York State; it is a long ribbon of water that is now within the enormous Adirondack
Oleomargarine, an emulsion of fat with evenly-distributed water molecules, was first produced in France – to win a scientific competition to meet the war needs
In November of 1909, Mr. Daniel Forry was living at 125 South Green Street in York.Daniel received an advertising postcard recommending the wares of two
One feature of American life that has changed significantly in the last century is the decline of social,fraternal, and mutual-aid societies.Earlier postcard stories noted the
Don McNeil was born in Illinois, but grew up in Wisconsin (he was a first cousin to Casper Weinberger, with whom I would not have
Rock Candy – Brooklyn (1894) At the turn of the 20th century, the Brooklyn waterfront was lined with industrial plants. Only in 2014 was the
Flooding during the Construction of the Holtwood Dam On March 15, 1907, flood waters from ice jams on the Susquehanna topped a portion of the
Refined Sugar Comes to Market – circa 1902 Sugar cane failed as a crop in the 17th century settlement of Jamestown, Virginia and Americans were
Ed Will Call at Your Print Shop – Selling Ink, 1911 The distribution and sale of goods was very different in the early years of
Cora Sees Production of Shredded Wheat – Niagara Falls, 1927 The story of many breakfast cereals begins in the late 19th century as part of
It is interesting to note how large food companies have promoted their health, safety, and quality procedures through the early 20th century. Many advertisements for
In April of 1909, an enterprising feed salesman took advantage of the popularity of postcard photographs to enhance his business. The salesman, a Mr. Mosher
Some time ago, this establishment was noted on one of the Lancaster history sites. The store closed in 1949, years before I was born, and
Thanksgiving Greetings from the “Eyesight Specialist” – circa 1910 This advertising card, printed circa 1915, was not mailed. Promoting “Rinkenbach’s Eyesight Specialists” of Harrisburg, the
Scottish Linens at the January Sale – Harrisburg, PA in 1906 In December of 1906, Mrs. Newman of Harrisburg received a postcard from Scotland. The
Wooden Shoes from Holland, Michigan – 1942 In the 1840’s, a number of Dutch immigrants settled in western Michigan and the settlers became the dominant
The Reineberg Boot Shop in York, PA – circa 1915 Members of the Reineberg family operated shoe stores in York for more than a hundred
Manufacturing a Plymouth – 1936 Carl was buying a new Plymouth; he and Harry were at the plant in Detroit to pick up the brand
Paper memorabilia can lead one into all kinds of interesting areas. Here is an advertising postcard, circa 1910, for the Barry & Zecher Company. There