Miss Angie Park lived in Shinglehouse, a town of Potter County in north-central Pennsylvania. The community was named for a landmark shingled Inn near the
Rifling through a box of old paper memorabilia, I was attracted to the brilliant colors of this postcard. I was surprised to find that the
This postcard languished in a box of 25-cent cards until I found it at a postcard exhibition. It is interesting in two ways: the photograph
The extent of the Lancaster stockyards was apparent to anyone who traveled to Lancaster by train from Philadelphia through the 1970’s. As the train slowed
We met Bernice Blue in an earlier postcard story, in which an admirer sent a postcard illustration entitled, “Maiden Meditation”. Bernice lived in White Pigeon,
Frank lived in Buffalo, the industrial and transportation powerhouse on Lake Erie in northwest New York. Frank had a friend, Sara, who lived in the
In an earlier postcard story, we met the prolific photographer and publisher, J. Murray Jordan. (“Let’s Live in Clover”) Based in Philadelphia, Jordan published in
Miss Jenina Greer lived in La Grande, a city east of the Blue Mountains in northeast Oregon. La Grande had been a stopping point on
My first understanding of the impact of Coney Island on the imagination of New York City residents came from reading the short stories of O.
Saint Patrick’s Day – 1908 Ethel must have been busy or forgetful as she mailed her St. Patrick’s Day postcard on March 19, 1908. Illustrated
Miss Susanna Ramsey lived near Gap, a community in eastern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.in Gap was named for a pass through the Nickel Mountain ridge. The
In December of 1907, Miss Elsie Martin lived outside of Hanover, PA (Rural Free Delivery Route #4). Hanover is a prosperous town in York County,
On July 4, we recall the noble aspirations of our nation. We don’t always live up to the high standards we espouse, but we are
Mrs. E.J. Rockwood had been living in Castle Creek, a hamlet north of Binghamton in south-central New York State. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castle_Creek,_New_York At Christmas of 1919, however,
Mrs. E. A. Easterbrook lived in Arcadia, a village in central Nebraska. The community was platted in 1885 with the coming of the railroad. In
Mrs. Maud Jacobs lived in Gobleville, a small city in south-west Michigan. The city was named for the Goble family who erected the first buildings
Harold Chambers lived in Middleton, an unincorporated community in central Michigan. Harold was a pupil in a class taught by Ruby. It is not clear
This postcard photograph was not mailed. I was glad to see the legible names inscribed on the reverse, but there is no indication of the
During the quarantine, when I could not rifle through boxes of old paper at antique malls, I purchased a collection of vintage postcard photographs on
Lewis Mansfield was born in the early years of the 20th century and lived near Fayette City, PA. Fayette City, at that time, was a
Chas was in Akron, Ohio. On September 6, 1911, he sent a postcard to Mrs. James Balo of Adams Mills, Ohio. Adams Mills is a
I am not sure what occasion is memorialized in this picture, perhaps a groom and best man at a wedding celebration. The postcard photograph was
Miss Luella McDonald lived in Hastings, a city in south-central Nebraska. Hastings had grown up around the juncture of two railroad lines, but experienced a
Mother & Grandmother Send a Birthday Gift This postcard-sized greeting accompanied a gift to an unnamed son and grandson on his 35th birthday. The card
There were an estimated four billion chestnut trees in the US at the turn of the 20th century. The nut was a source of food
Miss Rachel Morton lived in Oxford, the lovely borough in Chester County that was a center of industry before the slow demise of the railroads
Alice Cleaver lived in York Springs, a resort community in Adams County. (We met Alice in an earlier postcard story about attending the York Fair.)
We met Annie Robidou in earlier postcard stories; Annie inspired or collected many postcard illustrations related to courtship or love. In January of 1911, Annie
Mrs. James Houser lived in Port Trevorton, a census-designated place of northern Snyder County in central Pennsylvania. Port Trevorton had once been a small city
Mrs. M. A. McCann lived in Ladora, a very small city (population less than 300) in east-central Iowa. In April of 1914, Mrs. McCann received
Miss Bessie Criswell was celebrating a birthday. She received a postcard greeting from her friend, Sarah. Bessie lived in Emlenton, a borough in northwest Pennsylvania.
Mabel Moyer was an infant when she was greeted with a postcard celebrating her arrival in 1919. The colorful illustration on face of the postcard
Mr. Oliver Riehl lived in Voganville, a very small community in Earl Township – east of Farmersville and north of Groffdale. John Vogan, the Irish
In January of 1909, Marita mailed a postcard to her friend Mayme. The postcard, printed in Germany, is embossed and gilded. Two doves greet one
Miss A. B. Thomas lived in an apartment on Park Avenue in Minneapolis. In May of 1939, she received a postcard from her friend, Mamie.
Mr. Bloom Faw lived in Washburn, an agricultural village in north central Illinois. In August of 1930, Bloom received a postcard from Judy. The face
Jane Cushing was on a camping trip to the mountains. While in Torrington, Wyoming, Jane sent a postcard to Mrs. Sherman Scofield in Denver. (Torrington
Miss Edna Bender lived in Wyoming, a small city in east-central Iowa, not far from Cedar Rapids. Sometime around 1911 (the postmark is badly-applied), Edna
J. Murray Jordan was a prolific photographer and publisher in Philadelphia. Murray’s work included a wide range of subjects – from the comic and frivolous
Mrs. D. A Long lived in Shippensburg, a borough on the border of Franklin and Cumberland Counties in south-central Pennsylvania. In the early 20th century,
This comic postcard was published by the Royal Publishing Company of Philadelphia in 1906. A young woman sits demurely on a bench while her suitor
The legacy of slavery continues to trouble our nation. Many institutions have struggled to find an appropriate response to historical wrongs. (This is not a
On October 4, 1906, cannons were fired in York, Pa for the “President’s Salute”. An Internet search reveals that President Theodore Roosevelt visited the city
Between September 30 and October 6 of 1923, the citizens of Reading, PA held a week-long birthday party. This commemorative postcard was copyrighted by C.
To celebrate the 300th anniversary of the first English colony in the New World, citizens of Norfolk, Virginia organized a campaign for a national exposition.
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
This photograph does not identify the plump little girl with bright eyes. The girl is sitting before a wall of tongue-and-groove molding, and she is
There are several websites devoted to the photography studio of Gerlach which operated on South Washington Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Gerlach Studio made thousands
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Maass were celebrating 25 years of marriage. In honor of the event, family members gathered at their home in Gaylord, Minnesota.
Sometime around 1915, three children named “Barnes” were carefully arranged for a photographic portrait. The three – Dean, Ralph, and Gladys – are all smiling
Mrs. John Hays lived on Pine Street in Oxford, a borough in southern Chester County, PA. ( in 1928, Oxford was still connected both to
Alma, Mrs. W. O. Smith, lived in Falconer – a village in Chautauqua County of southwest New York. In August of 1931, Alma received a
Mr. Aug. Eimer lived at 205 Third Avenue in Manhattan. In 1917, this neighborhood (between 18th and 19th Streets) still had remnants of the large
Belle was at sea on April 16 when she composed a postcard to Helen (Mrs. Samuel Weiss) of Philadelphia. The postcard, printed in the United
I have posted several examples of Sunday School materials from denominational publishing houses. The example today is from the David C. Cook company. Founded in
“Rally Day” was the special celebration to open the Sunday School year in many Protestant Churches. The Rally Day program often involved the introduction of
In January of 1935, Nelson Godfrey lived in Shrewsbury, PA in the household of H.S. Godfrey, whom I assume to be his father. Shrewsbury is
On the Feast of the Transfiguration, a brief story about an act of devotion at the foot of the Great North Mountain in the Shenandoah
A painter and sculptor, G. F. Watts (1817-1904) poses Sir Galahad as a fearless innocent pursuing a tangled path. A late development within the Arthurian
In June of 1911, Addie wrote “a few lines” to Katherine. Katherine, in Fort Madison, Iowa, seems to be a relative or close family friend
I found recently this “Sunbonnet” illustration from the series, “Hours of the Day”. On the face of the postcard is an illustration of a boy
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 September of 1912, Rebecca visited New York City. As she prepared to leave for home, Rebecca mailed a postcard to her friend, Florence Ashton,
Mr. George W. Johnson lived in Red Bank, a borough on the Navesink River in northern New Jersey. This area was settled by Dutch and
Miss Evelyn Richardson lived in Fawn Grove, a borough in southern York County, on the Mason-Dixon Line. (I was unfamiliar with this place name and
If you were a youngster who collected coins, you learned to scan dates for the tiny mint letters that denoted the origin of the coin.
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
Elizabeth Receives a Rose from her Mother – circa 1910 Sometime around 1910, Elizabeth Karr was living in Mount Nebo, Pa. Mt. Nebo is a
In July of 1907, Florence sent a postcard to her friend, Carrie Quickel, who lived at 1308 North George Street in York. Florence reported that
In January of 1919, Mrs. Mary Gingery was living in Shellsburg – a small city in east central Iowa, not far from Cedar Rapids. it
Manheim is a town in Lancaster County, PA – about eight miles north of Lancaster City. I have driven through the charming town of Manheim
The Susquehanna River forms the western border of Lancaster County, PA. The river-front community of Pequea grew up where the Pequea Creek empties into the
In August of 1924, Alice K. (presumably, Alice Knox) was visiting York, PA. Alice was traveling with Mr. and Mrs. Lidiger (?) and family. The
It is not hard to find early postcard photographs of the boulevard that winds up the side of Mount Penn in Reading, Pennsylvania. This is
In August of 1910, Ruth was in Woodbine where she was very busy- making hay, visiting the Wild West Show, finding elderberries, getting red feather
Several months ago, I shared a postcard with an hand-colored photo of the Brother House at the Ephrata Cloister. In the postcard story, voiced my
I love the Ephrata Cloister – the preserved buildings, the museum, the grounds, and the sacred history of the place. “The Cloister” was established in
Martin’s Drug Store was located on East Chestnut Street in Lancaster, PA. (This handsome building has now been subdivided into eight apartments.) Miss Esther Martin,
The Thanksgiving postcard was far more common in the early twentieth century than it is today. Many postcard greetings, some blending patriotic and harvest images,
Many of us remember when the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington were celebrated as distinct national holidays. Our grade school classrooms were decorated with construction
On May 30, 1928, this statue of a standing soldier was erected within the Locust Street Park in Columbia. A little more than seven feet
In July of 1928, Joe was in Kansas City, Missouri. He mailed a postcard to his mother, Mrs. George J. Bankert, in Westminster, Maryland. Westminster
One of the greatest orators and political leaders of the Civil War Era, Thaddeus Stevens, had a long career in law, industry, education, and public
Mother sends a postcard to Anna in Bausman – 1909 On October 27, 1909, Mother mailed a postcard to her daughter, Mrs. Anna Rambo, at
“Come away with me, Lucille, In my merry Oldsmobile…”. Circa 1908 The automobile changed the lives of Americans in dramatic ways. While some made fun
The Pennsylvania Railroad was the largest railroad company in the United States and operated hundreds of named trains. (The budget for the Pennsylvania Railroad was
In March of 1925, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Cole were still awaiting the coming of Spring in Hackettstown, New Jersey. (Hackettstown is a town in
Charlotte was visiting Chebeague Island, one of two hundred islands in Casco Bay, 10 miles northeast of Portland. Since the late 19th century, the area
In February of 1925, Alverta Meck was in Palm Beach. She was having “a nice time”, but found the weather “awfully warm”. Alverta mailed a
Hazel Penoyer lived in Palmyra, a village on the Erie Canal, just south of Lake Erie and east of Rochester, NY. An early transportation and
Aunt Gertie lived in Pittsfield, the city in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. By 1934, this agricultural area of streams and mills (once a
Miss Stevie Moxley lived in Kingston, Canada. Kingston, the first capital city of Canada, lies at the eastern end of Lake Erie- at the mouth
Master Norbert Dittmer lived on Fond-de-Lac Avenue in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; his grandma and grandpa lived nearby. From the form of address, we may assume that
On December 31, 1907, “Edith” mailed a postcard from Philadelphia to Miss C. Edith Yoder at 322 Pine Street in Lancaster, PA. The writer, Edith,
Nathan Groff lived in Bareville, a small rural community northeast of Lancaster, PA. In December of 1909, Nathan received a postcard greeting from Lottie, in
Fred Boardman lived in Utica, a city on the Mohawk River at the foot of the Adirondack Mountains in central New York. Utica became a
Louise lived in Wilmington, Delaware and had not heard from Hattie Adair for some time. Hattie lived in Chester Springs, a community in Chester County,
We met Annie Robidou in an earlier postcard which bore the illustration of a maiden carried piggyback at the lake. I mentioned that I had
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 1772, a dam was first built on the west branch of the Codorus Creek near York, PA Dams were one of the first “infrastructure”
Very early in the history of motion pictures, film stars captured the interest and enthusiastic embrace of the public. “Celebrity culture” around movies assumed a
The city of Reading established a school for boys in 1852. In 1857, girls were admitted to the school. This is almost fifty years before
In 1898, Samuel Grumbacher (and son, Max) opened a one-room millinery store on Market Street in York. The store eventually filled a handsome building on
This romantic tale straddles the Susquehanna River in south central Pennsylvania. Ada lived in Steelton, Pennsylvania, a borough in Dauphin County, not far from Harrisburg.
Mr. Roy Stouffer lived in Hanover, PA, a city southwest of York and not far from the border of Maryland. In 1910, Hanover was a
On this site, one can find a Christmas postcard given to Amanda Weaver by a classmate circa 1910. In December of 1912, Amanda received a
Melvin Myers lived in Thomasville, PA, an unincorporated community about 6 miles west of York, PA. His friend, Jennie, lived about 7 miles further west
Mr. and Mrs. H.H. Lindemuth were in Los Angeles. On March 30, 1920, they mailed an Easter postcard to Clifton Thomson. Clifton lived on West
We have seen several postcards related to blimps or zeppelins – the wonders of the sky in the early 20th century. (Other postcard stories featured
Here is an hand-colored, postcard photograph of Marietta Avenue, still a lovely drive westward from the city of Lancaster. The postcard was postmarked in Lancaster
Accustomed as we are to all manner of flying airships, it may be hard to imagine the mania that gripped the country with the appearance
(I have shared this postcard to other sites because I cannot decipher the name of the town that is inscribed on the face -it ends
In September of 1909, young Mac Fryberger was living in Phillipsburg, PA, a borough in Centre County – not far from State College. Mac received
Put-in-Bay is a small village on South Bass island in Lake Erie, about 35 miles east of Toledo and 15 miles northwest of Sandusky. The
Ralph Johnson had written to his Aunt Lizzie, but had received no reply. At length, Aunt Lizzie responded with a postcard greeting to Ralph. The
The wings of a swan are embossed so deeply on this postcard that the postmark is not entirely legible. Addressed to Mrs. Herbert Baily (sic)
Arthur Sutton was in Seaville, an unincorporated community in Cape May County, New Jersey. Arthur wanted to sail, and wrote to the Brooks about an
Marcel Lebree (?) lived on West 25th Street in Manhattan. At the time Marcel lived there, this working-class neighborhood included the flower markets (now, almost
Mr. B. F. Hartman lived in Waynesboro, a borough of Franklin County in south central Pennsylvania. The borough lies in the Cumberland Valley, only two
This postcard photograph was not mailed, and it lacks any identification of the two boys. I assume that the two are brothers or otherwise related
This postcard photograph was not mailed, so we cannot determine the location of this mother and her children. Sometime around 1910, a photograph was taken
Walhonding is a crossroads near the geographic center of Ohio. A small community had grown up there when the Walhonding Canal (a short feeder to
This postcard photograph was not mailed, but a message is inscribed on the reverse. The postcard may have been enclosed with a letter. Florence Lombard
Miss Osborne had six more weeks of teaching in the school year at Rose Hill, Iowa. Rose Hill is a very small city (population 157)
Mrs. Henry Alloway lived in Muddy Creek Forks, a village in southern York County of central Pennsylvania. (Muddy Creek Forks was on the narrow-gauge railroad
Mr. And Mrs. William Sutherland lived in Reno, the city on the Truckee River on the border between Nevada and California. Reno began when subsistence
Miss Bessie Ruden lived in Jefferson Barracks, the historic military outpost on the Mississippi River, south of St. Louis. In April of 1909, Bessie received
In addition to the proud postcard memorials to local monuments or scenic splendors, plus the enormous variety of seasonal and holiday greetings, a large number
This comic postcard, published by Bamforth & Company, was printed in England. Other comic postcards of Bamforth (the large moustache, the forgotten purse) have been
Miss Leeanna Truxell lived in Mount Pleasant, a borough 45 miles southwest of Pittsburgh in western Pennsylvania. Between 1910 and 1920, the area was a
In the early 20th century, Webster Springs was a resort town to which visitors flocked to experience the curative powers of the salt sulfur springs.
Miss H. Davies lived at 10th and Locust Street in Philadelphia, “in care of Shannons”. According to an on-line list of druggists in 1911, Shannons
I scanned this postcard illustration of fisherman at a time when I was reading about the threats to traditional fishing villages in Western Europe. The
Mrs. Richard Webb lived in Wilmington, Delaware and she had a baby. In May of 1911, Mrs. Webb received a postcard from Alma in Scranton,
Miss Mollie Scott lived in Brooklyn, New York. In September of 1929, she received a postcard from friends in Florida. The postcard was mailed from
Sadie, Mrs. Harry Tiffany, lived in Tomahawk – a small city in northern Wisconsin, in an area that was still hunted by Ojibwe peoples until
Wilmington is a small town (with a wonderful historic district) in the Deerfield Valley among the Green Mountains of south-central Vermont. In the winter, this
The Wylie Camping Company was the first (and the longest-lasting) enterprise that accommodated tourists in rustic camps within Yellowstone Park. Mr. V. L. Berryman was
In the summer of 1819, a group of Anabaptist refugees from Sonnenberg, Switzerland settled a tract of land in northeast Ohio. The group of families
The Catskill Mountains of Ulster County, hunting grounds of successive tribes of indigenous peoples, were not settled by Europeans until the mid-18th century. The best
Miss Lucy Rose lived in Worcester, an industrial city 40 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts. The city became a trading and transportation center for central
This postcard was not mailed, so we cannot know certainly when it was presented. But the design is similar to many other Christmas postcards that
Just after 5:00 AM on the morning of April 18, the growing city was struck by the largest earthquake in the history of California. A
There is a story of great sadness behind this postcard featuring the drawing of a mischievous kitten. Tillie was elsewhere in Minnesota when she wrote
I have not discovered any statistics related to sports deaths in the early 20th century, but this is not the first vintage document I have
In June of 1972, I experienced first-hand the devastation of Hurricane Agnes in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. During that summer flood, I saw the covered bridge
I found recently this postcard photograph of a train derailment at New Providence, Pa. New Providence is an unincorporated community in Lancaster County of southeast
In 1896, a late-summer storm destroyed the covered bridge between Columbia and Wrightsville. I found a postcard photograph of this devastating event. The photograph was
Ethel Bradshaw lived in Oxford, a small town in western Indiana, northwest of Indianapolis and southeast of Chicago. Ethel received a postcard greeting from her
Miss Alice Martin lived in Kinzer, an unincorporated rural community in eastern Lancaster County, along the original Philadelphia & Lancaster Turnpike. In July of 1912,
Mr. Hampton Pullis was in Andover, a small borough near the northern-most tip of New Jersey. Andover once boasted an iron forge, but the industry
Mrs. James Irwin was celebrating a birthday at her home in Bart, Pennsylvania. Bart us a rural township in southeast Lancaster County. Louisa Graeff, a
This comic postcard was copyrighted in 1907 by “U. Company” of New York. (I believe it might be the Ullman Lithographic Company.) A rat is
This comic postcard from the Bamforth Company touches on a topic that was not always humorous to audiences of the early 20th Century. Although 15
Aunt Jennie lived in Red Oak, a small city in southeast Iowa. The city was founded when the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad arrived in
This comic postcard, featuring a telephone operator making a date for lunch, was not mailed – it was “enclosed”, probably within a letter. It was
This comic postcard was illustrated by D. Hillson – who was introduced in earlier postcard stories. Copyright in 1907, the illustration shows a yawning figure
Mr. David W. Van Houton lived in Prescott, Iowa. Prescott is a small city in southwest Iowa. Mr. Van Houton had mailed several postcards to
The second Madison Square Garden was a beautiful Beaux-Arts structure designed by Stanford White at Madison Square. (Not the tasteless monstrosity now atop Penn Station
Charles Blakey lived in Kingfisher, a small city in central Oklahoma. Today, Kingfisher is mostly a “bedroom community” for workers in Enid and Oklahoma City.
In 1892, Akron was a booming center of industry and the population was growing in areas surrounding the city. A group of women in West
Marietta, the small city on the Ohio River in the southeast corner of Ohio, was the first settlement in the Northwest Territory gained in the
The Virginia Company, chartered by King James the First, was established to colonize the east coast of North America. The spread of English civilization meant,
Robert Habersham Coleman, great-grandson of the founder of the Cornwall Iron dynasty, was once the richest man in Pennsylvania and one of the wealthiest in
Mr. W.G. Marks lived in Lafayette, a city on the Wabash River in west-central Indiana. Lafayette is about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis. West Lafayette,
Miss Elizabeth McFarland lived at 319 North Lime Street in Lancaster. Her small brick house, built in 1865, is still occupied on the site. The
Mr. John Parker and his family lived in Westfield, a town in Chautauqua County, in the southwestern tip of New York Stare. Westfield borders Lake
Mr. Grant Snyder lived in New Paris, a small borough in Bradford County of south-central Pennsylvania. The borough lies on the west side of the
Easter fell on the first of April in 1923. Sometime near that date, Lawrence Butt (Laurence Butts?) received an Easter postcard from Joseph Weber. The
Elizabeth Goetz lived in Tiffin, a city on the Sandusky River in northwest Ohio. Tiffin is the site of Fort Ball, a military depot of
In the Spring of 1911, Mr. Hugh Barman was living on Walnut Street in Painesville, Ohio. Painesville, a city on the Grand River, lies 27
On the Fourth of July, a pause to remember the hardship of the War of Independence. Valley Forge was not the site of an important