Mr. Frank Zinkie lived in Aurora, a city in northeast Illinois, now within the Chicago Metropolitan District.

In August of 1912, Frank received a postcard from Portland, Oregon.

The face of the postcard is a hand-tinted photograph of a road through well-tended orchards.

Published by the Patton Post Card Company of Salem, Oregon, the postcard bears the distinctive hourglass insignia of that firm.

A printed legend proclaims, “Fine Orchards and Good Roads, Oregon”.

The celebration of good roads, and advocacy for improved roads, was a populist movement of the early 20th century.

On the reverse, the sender notes that this vacation could not include a visit to Yellowstone.

The writer is “leaving for the beach sometime this week”, however.

The message is signed “Niece”, which suggests that Frank Zinkke is an uncle to the sender.

A quick internet search does confirm that a Frank Zinkie was born in Aurora, Illinois in 1872.

Frank was the son of Augustus Zinkie (1839-1909) and Louisa Buelter.

Frank had one brother, Robert, who had one daughter, Marjorie Jeanette Zinkie (1893-1974).

So, we may conclude that Frank Zinkie (about 40 years old) received the postcard from his niece, Marjorie (19 years old).

The picture of the neat orchards outlived both the sender and the recipient.