Miss Cornelia DeVries lived in Passaic, a densely-populated city north of Newark, New Jersey. (The first European settlers in Passaic were Dutch traders who founded
Mrs. Nellie Mattox lived in Sharon, a city on the Ohio border, in northwest Pennsylvania. Although coal-mining was the first industry in the area, Sharon
I picked up this postcard at an exhibition because I admired the evocative drawing on the face and because I was unfamiliar with the place
The Congregational Home Mission Society was the successor of an inter-denominational Protestant church-building organization initiated in 1826 as the American Home Missionary Society. (The Congregational
We met Emma Hankel in an earlier postcard story; Emma collected postcard photographs of churches sent by her many fellow-collectors. Emma lived in Galion, a
On September 11, 1907, a postcard was mailed from York, PA to Lloyd Weinhold of Denver, PA. This postcard, printed in Germany, bears a hand-colored
n 1930, this area was still a prosperous center of mining (anthracite coal). Miss Evans received a postcard from Eva who was in Chambersburg, a
I admire the civic pride and local spirit that is demonstrated in vintage postcards. Almost every town had postcard photographs of new high schools, post
On March 23, 1913, Margaret was given an Easter postcard by Aunt Lizzie. The postcard, made in Germany, features a girl (with feathered bonnet slung
Miss Edith McCarns lived in Newark, Delaware – a small city and college town less than a mile from the juncture of Delaware, Maryland, and
On January 1, 1910, Mrs. Charley Klinger received a New Year postcard from Philadelphia. Sent by her friend, Hattie, the postcard reached Mrs. Klinger with
Mrs. W. L. Starkey lived in Kansas City, Missouri. In December of 1921, Mrs. Starkey received a Christmas postcard from Libbie Dockstader in Harris, Kansas.
In December of 1913, Miss Alice Guenther lived in Menomonie, a city in western Wisconsin. Alice received a Christmas postcard from Lena Hager, who appears
Mr. Frank Stafford lived in Goshen, a village in southern New York State -about fifty miles northwest of New York city in Orange County. (During
While we are quarantined at home, the prospect of a railroad journey to a scenic retreat has great appeal. This linen postcard was published by
I.G.F. lived in The Brick House of Brookfield, Connecticut. Brookfield is a town in Fairfield County, in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains that rise
Oklahoma was admitted to the Union in November of 1907. Sometime thereafter, this postcard was printed in celebration of that milestone. Unfortunately, the card lacks
Mrs. Abbie Eshelman lived in Strasburg, the charming town southeast of Lancaster, PA. In July of 1913, Abbie received a postcard from Zillah L. who
The Knickerbocker Hotel was built by John Jacob Astor IV at the corner of 42nd Street and Broadway between 1901 and 1906.This area is now
We met George Glick last year when he was invited by postcard to attend the “Rally Day” at Sunday School. This postcard was mailed a
Mrs. John Jefferson lived in Gorsuch Mills, a village in northern Baltimore County, Maryland. The community is due south of Stewartstown (York County), PA. (Gorsuch
When I was a child, one could still be impressed by the various ships anchored or in repair at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. The enormous
In the Fall of 1908, Mr. And Mrs. David Huber paid a visit to David’s cousin in Philadelphia. Upon their return to Lancaster, Mrs. Huber
Despite the unappealing name, the Mosquito Valley is a beautiful, mixed-forest, landscape on the north side of the Appalachian ridges in north central Pennsylvania.Located in
Annie Robidou was a lively young woman. I have a dozen postcards that were sent to her by friends, relatives, and admirers – all the
Miss Addie Hamilton was working at Smith & McNells – the hotel restaurant that pioneered 24-hour, high-volume, dining since the mid-19th century. Smith & McNells
One can find many postcards from the early 20th century that reflect on marriage and marriage roles.Some of them, intended to be humorous, may be
Around 1915 (based on the design of the postcard), Emily Wolf lived at 649 Vine Street in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Several friends presented valentines to her
Mr. Paul Hale lived in Cornwall, now a borough in southeast Lebanon County, adjacent to Lancaster County. In 1909, Cornwall was comprised of several villages,
Miss Carrie Pfoutz lived in Brunnerville, PA, a populated place a few miles northeast of the town of Lititz, in Lancaster County. In the Spring
Miss F.L. Schade lived in Toledo, the port city at the western tip of Lake Erie in northwest Ohio.In 1918, Toledo was already an important
Mrs. Aldus Martin lived in Holtwood, PA, an unincorporated community along the Susquehanna River in southern Lancaster County. It is now the site of a
In March of 1932, Miss Hazel Black lived on Harvey Avenue in Doylestown, PA. (Doylestown is a borough and the county seat of Bucks County.
It is an unfortunate fact that the congregations of many Churches in the early 20th century reflected specific socio-economic or racial subsets of the population.
Rising incongruously over the Great Plains, the Black Hills are the remains of prehistoric volcanic activity. Occupied by a succession of indigenous peoples over centuries,
Geneva, Mrs. F.C.Brown, lived in Hays, Kansas. Hays is the largest city in northwest Kansas; it grew up around the railroad. It was a rough
In September of 1939, Milly was living temporarily in Bismarck, North Dakota. She sent a postcard to her friend, Nora, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Milly
This linen postcard features one of the homes of Kit Carson, an iconic figure of the Western Frontier in the first half of the 19th
Miss Viola Jones lived at 37 East Philadelphia Street in York, PA.On May 21, 1931, Viola received a postcard from Sam who was in New
In the summer of 1938, Marie attended the NEA convention in New York City and took a long road trip to return to her home,
Grand Junction, 247 miles southwest of Denver, is the largest city in western Colorado.The ancient home of the Ute people, this area was not settled
Dr. Harry W. Ryman lived in Summit, New Jersey, a prosperous city on a ridge within the Raritan Valley and Rahway Valley of northern New
The Last Day of Camp Meeting – Pitman Grove, New Jersey (1907)Although many of the historic “camp meetings” still assemble each summer, the events do
On a Sunday in March of 1915, Mrs. Neill was visiting Arkansas City, Kansas.Arkansas City, in south central Kansas, is built on the site of
In October of 1905, the Rev. Marion Baker celebrated the beginning of his fifth year of service at HighStreet Christian Church.The church was located in
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
In recent years of this century, I have ridden on Amtrak through the station at Norwood.Thus, I was excited to find this view of the
Some weeks ago, we looked at the Train Station in Norwood, Massachusetts- from which friendsdeparted after a visit to that town.Westfield is a community, adjacent
A few weeks ago, we read about the “Overland Express” – the famed train from San Francisco to Chicago.One feature of that historic route was
Spring is soon to arrive, yet snow covers the ground in many parts of the east coast today.This postcard illustration seemed appropriate for the appearance
Foster Herman lived in Sunbury, PA, a city on the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania.Foster had a sister, May, who gave him a beautifully-illustrated postcard.The
Today is Mardi Gras: “Fat Tuesday”, or Carnival – literally, “farewell to meat”.For centuries in Christendom, this was a day of feasting and celebration as
Soon after Christmas in 1909, Miss Ermina Schroeder received a postcard from her friend, Hallie.The postcard photograph of Corning, New York was published by S.H.
Today, Manhattan’s primary shopping district lies in midtown; in 1900, however, shopping destinationswere further downtown, near 23rd street.The area bounded by lower Fifth Avenue, Sixth
We met members of the Bashore family in earlier postcard stories.Mrs. S.S. Bashore lived in Union Deposit, a community in southeast Dauphin County of centralPennsylvania.The
The Nightly Parade of “Rolling Chairs” – Atlantic City (1912)Thousands of vacationers descended on Atlantic City each summer day in the early years of thetwentieth
This English comic postcard published by G.D. & D. of London, provides humorous advice to a young woman – who may have been married very
Miss Witwer’s School – Lancaster, PA Miss Humphreville, who lived on West Vine Street, taught singing at Miss Witwer’s School. (We met Miss Margie Humphreville
Clara Smith was in Buffalo, NY where she was “having a good time this winter” with “snow two feet deep”. Clara’s friend, Frances Stover, lived
Young Ralph Ludrick lived in Hummelstown, a borough (founded by two German brothers named Hummel in 1742) along the Swatara Creek in Dauphin County. This
In August of 1928, Mrs. Zigenhorn was living in Philadelphia. She received a postcard from “A.K. McC.”, who was in France. The postcard, printed and
Miss Natalie Tyson lived in Wyncote, a census-designated place bordering the northern boundary of the City of Philadelphia, at the southern tip of Montgomery County.
The Trip to Munich – Germany (1932) Sometime last year, we shared an early 20th century photograph of the “Frauenkirche” – the iconic church in
From York to Reading, A Scene of Old London (1907) I thought it fitting that this old London scene was mailed between the Pennsylvania cities
In January of 1906, Miss Ella Rohrer was living on a rural delivery route near Strasburg, Pennsylvania. Ella received a postcard from Cousin Enos who
Mrs. C. Lawrence was in Chautauqua, the town and lake resort in southwestern New York. Because thousands of visitors vacationed in Chautauqua for the cultural,
“Old Dartmouth” is the region on the south coast of Massachusetts that prospered, through the mid-nineteenth century, from whaling. New Bedford was the largest town
Catlettsburg is a small city on the Ohio River in northeastern Kentucky, where Ohio and West Virginia meet the border of Kentucky. The area was
Mrs. R.S. Giles lived in New London, a village in north central Ohio. (The name reflects the Connecticut roots of the early settlers, and the
Traveling in the Roadster – Portsmouth, New Hampshire (1911) We met Ermina Schroeder a few weeks ago; she was living in Hamilton Heights (Manhattan) and
Mr. Richard Cook had moved or traveled from Richmond, Virginia in July of 1907. A comic postcard that was mailed to him at a Richmond
Almost everyone, at some time, meets people for whom affectation and “drama” is a constant companion. Self-conscious actors and actresses may be especially prone to
Effie Hart lived in Great Falls, a city on the Missouri River in west central Montana. The city now profits from hydro-electric dams that are
Jerome and Florence (with a third person whose name I cannot read – perhaps a child) were visiting Niagara Falls. From the Canadian side of
Mrs. Philip Bard lived on a rural delivery route near Columbia, the lovely town above the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania. In February of 1921
What is the Matter with Edith? Edith Yoder lived at 507 West Walnut Street in Lancaster, PA. (The tidy, two-story brick home, built in 1900,
Miss Caroline Powell lived in Paradise, an unincorporated community in the “Pennsylvania Dutch” country of eastern Lancaster County, PA. On February 14, 1906, Miss Powell
Miss Esther Martin lived at 360 East Chestnut Street in Lancaster. (At this address is a large, handsome building, built in 1895, that now contains
In October of 1907, Elizabeth Gallatin of Annville, PA was celebrating a birthday. Elizabeth received a postcard greeting from Esther F., also of Annville. Annville
John Jacob Dreibelbis immigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania in 1732. His descendants, sometimes with variant spellings of the last name, can be found in many
In October of 1908, Edith Hess of New Holland received a postcard from her cousin in Paradise, Pa. The face of the postcard is illustrated
Mrs. Emmer Stanley lived in Pomeroy, a small community of Chester County in southeast Pennsylvania. In the golden age of railroads, Pomeroy was the terminus
Mrs. Schaum lived at 108 South Prince Street, which would have been close to the historic St. Mary’s Church. The house in which Mrs. Schaum
Uncle Joe was celebrating a birthday and his nephew, Harrison, sent to him a beautiful postcard. The embossed postcard features large sunflowers atop a rural
I have long been a fan of General Grant, resenting the defamation he endured at the hands of “Lost Cause” sympathizers and Confederate apologizers. Now,
Any collector of vintage postcards is likely to find numerous examples of lovely linen postcards printed by Fred Harvey Restaurants. What Howard Johnson’s restaurants were
I don’t know how many Pennsylvanians are familiar with the destruction caused by Confederate General, Jubal Early, in the month leading up to the Battle
The works of Longfellow (1807-1882) are far less familiar and beloved than they were a hundred years ago. Well-educated (he was the first American to
A few weeks ago, we read about the visitor to Bismarck, North Dakota who sent a postcard photograph of the rustic log cabin built by
I have many postcards from the early 20th century that celebrate literary heroes. Longfellow, Whittier, Emerson, Louisa Mae Alcott, Harriet Beecher Stowe – each were
Miss Anna Gibble lived in Manheim, Pa (Lancaster County), and conducted postcard correspondence with a friend who lived in York. The friend in York, S.K.S.,
Because there is a “York Furnace” community in York County, I mistakenly assumed that this postcard photograph represented that place. I learned, from York County
Wanamaker’s, the gigantic department store filling an entire city block near City Hall, dominated the commercial landscape of Philadelphia for several generations. I did not
The building of the Colonial Hotel excited great public interest during its construction in the 1890’s. It dominated Centre Square, later Continental Square, and was
Looking at North Broad Street today, it is hard to imagine the grand buildings and private mansions that were erected there in the late nineteenth
Miss Etta Pelsey was living in Saint Marys, a small city in north east Kansas. The town grew up around the mission where the US
D. Hillson was a prolific postcard illustrator of the early 20th century; hundreds of his drawings are still available for purchase from purveyors of vintage
This postcard photograph lacks any indication of time or place; the identities of the women are also unrecorded. They are dressed similarly, and have some
In the early years of the twentieth century, the photography studio of Simon & Murnane was located at 227 West Market Street in York, “At
This well-preserved postcard photograph lacks a studio identification, suggesting that it was processed in a small, local shop. It is a very good photograph, so
Rifling through a box of postcards at a recent exhibition, I was charmed by the bright, inquisitive face of this peering child. On the reverse,
Miss Clara Eby lived in Shiremanstown, a borough in Cumberland County, across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg, PA. On-line, one can find a fascinating history
Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Files (amended, “Filer”) were thrilled by the birth of their 8-pound daughter. The happy parents prepared birth announcements to share
Miss Winafred (Winifred?) Sackett lived in Ilion, a village in central New York State. The area, settled by German immigrants around 1725, prospered with the
A postcard greeting from exactly one hundred years ago. Young Henry Rohoem lived in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, a borough southeast of Lancaster. On January 5, 1922,
Mrs. Anna Abernathy lived in Neoga, Illinois – a small city in central Illinois. Neoga developed as a center of the railroad in the state.
Sometime around 1920, Anna Witmer attended school near Manheim. She gave a postcard, a hand-colored drawing of flowers, to her “schoolmate”, Anna Ober. The postcard
In June of 1913, Claude Mapes was hospitalized in Elmira, New York. The Arnot-Ogden Hospital (now the Arnot-Ogden Medical Center, and a part of Arnot
The Battle of Gettysburg was a turning point in the American Civil War, and the largest military engagement that has ever occurred in Pennsylvania. One
The American colonies, with an expanding frontier, offered a congenial home to many “characters”, some of whose eccentricities are captured in historical accounts and embroidered
Benedict Arnold, whose name is now synonymous with “traitor”, was once a hero in the fight for American Independence. His daring exploits for the Colonial
Pennsylvanians have had (until the inauguration of President Biden) only one native son who became a US President. Unfortunately, the administration of Buchanan is one
Today, the Episcopal Church commemorates Conrad Weiser, colonial peace-maker, city planner, administrator of justice, and Lutheran churchman. Although Conrad Weiser was not part of the
R. F. Outcault was one of the greatest cartoonists in American history. He may have been the first to use a series of comic panels,
Mr. Hugh Smith lived in Monrovia, an unincorporated community in Atchison County, Kansas. The town was platted along on the Missouri Pacific Railroad, but never
Miss E. Garner lived in Media, PA, a borough 13 miles west of Philadelphia and the County Seat of Delaware County. In November of 1914,
On October 11, 1906, H. H. Ziemen of Adamstown received a postcard from Cora, who might be a sibling. The postcard is badly worn and
This comic postcard has an interesting pedigree. Douglas Tempest (born 1887) was a British illustrator and cartoonist who went on to become a pioneer in
The wide range of comic postcards has never held much interest for me; but the genre has always been a considerable part of the postcard
Last year, I posted recollections of my childhood years during which we celebrated a separate birthday for Lincoln and for Washington. In Elementary School, ,
Mrs. Alice E. Frey lived in Dover, PA, a borough a few miles northwest of the city of York. In November of 1909, she received
A hundred years ago, Mrs. M. Emma Dunn lived in Reading. (Her address is 1510 Hawk Street; I cannot find that the house is still
One of the delights of reading vintage postcards is reading the frequent expression of friendship and affection. It is not uncommon to find references to
Snow Prevents Dinner in East Petersburg – 1935 Mr. Daniel Good, Jr. of East Petersburg had invited friends from Maryland to dinner in January of
In August of 1912, Mrs. Rieber visited Wildwood, New Jersey – joining hundreds of thousands of other visitors who flocked to “the shore” on each
Jennie was traveling in the southern US, but she did not forget Norman Carpenter who lived in Rothsville, PA. While in Bethune, SC, Jennie mailed
For those who grew up reading the stories of Laura Ingalls Wilder, the town of Malone, New York is remembered as the childhood home of
In April of 1923, Mother was visiting New York City. She sent a postcard to her daughter, Miss Genevieve Jones, in Depauville, New York. (Depauville
In April of 1913, Hiram Morey received a postcard reminder of the upcoming Club Convention on Mackinac Island. The address is typed. Perhaps a secretary
Miss Freda Kunkle lived in Rohrerstown, PA, a small community west of Lancaster. I know that Freda had many friends, some of whom were well
In June of 1935, L.W. Burr (?) was traveling through Vancouver, British Columbia. One morning, L. W. visited the park where a suspension bridge had
On a Sunday during the pandemic, it is refreshing (and frustrating) to think about Ida’s visit to Assisi in June of 1922. This postcard, with
Ella Bluhm lived in Deer Creek, a small city (population of 322) in west central Minnesota. The city is very close to the bordering states
Helen and Esther Lineaweaver may have missed their father, who was in Europe during the summer of 1937. The sisters lived in Campbelltown, an unincorporated
Sara lived in Lebanon, a city in the Lebanon Valley of south central, Pennsylvania – 26 miles east ofHarrisburg and 28 miles west of Reading.
The “Overland” railroad route between San Francisco and Chicago is one of the most-storied passages in US railroad history. After an intercontinental railroad line was
Harry S. may have intended to mail this postcard featuring a hand-colored photograph of the railroad terminal in Allentown. The photograph was made and published
This comic postcard was not mailed, so we do not know if the message was intended for a particular person. It is an example of
The collecting of souvenir spoons, especially those made of silver, began in Europe among wealthy travelers of the mid-19th century. The custom was adopted by
Several months ago, we met a young woman of Galion, Ohio; she collected postcard photographs ofchurches. Her name was Emma Hankel. Today, we meet Ethel
One forgets how important iron ore was to the growth and development of eastern Pennsylvania. Although the much larger and deeper deposits of iron ore
York was a center of the air-cooling and air conditioning industry in the early decades of the 20th century. Founded in 1874 as an ice-making
Ground was broken for the Berkshire Hotel in December of 1913. A spell of extreme cold weather delayed construction for two months, but the hotel
The largest swimming pool in Pennsylvania, at 1.5 million gallons of water, opened to the public in 1912. This hand-colored photograph was printed circa 1920.
Vanished Businesses -circa 1910 Reflecting on the temporary closure of business and industry during the pandemic, I happened upon a postcard depicting an important industry
Sarah Gives a Christmas Postcard to Mrs. Emma Stroman -circa 1920 About 1920, Mrs. Emma Stroman was living in Lancaster, PA. Her home was at
Mr. And Mrs. Elijah Hart lived in Osceola, Iowa, a small city in south central Iowa. In December of 1912, the Harts received a Christmas
Mr. G.H. Walton lived in Factoryville, a borough of Wyoming County, in northeast Pennsylvania. The town was named for a woolen factory that once operated
Selina lived in Girardville, a borough in Schuylkill County, about 58 miles northwest of Reading, PA. In 1909, this region prospered from the mining of
Miss Ruth Hake lived in Felton, Pa, a borough in York County, not far from Red Lion. In December of 1908, Ruth received a Christmas
Mrs. Harriet Borry of Stevens, Pa was fond of her grandson, Russell, who lived in Reading. For Russell’s birthday, Mrs. Borry sent him a new
In 1908, Miss Emma Warner lived in Gap, PA. Gap, a small community, is named for a break in the Mine Ridge at the eastern
Mrs Frank Wetter lived in Watertown, a city on the Rock River in south central Wisconsin. This area was settled by families from New England,
Mr. And Mrs. H.R. Bookman lived on Walnut Street in Columbia, PA (a beautiful town on the Susquehanna River). In February of 1913, the Bookmans
Mrs. Bruce Wagner lived in Dillsburg, PA – a borough in northwest York County, very close to the borders of Adams County and Cumberland County.
It may have been the birthday of Harold Strayer when he received a postcard from Grandpa. Harold lived outside Middletown, PA (Rural Delivery Route #3),
Martin K. Brubaker was a prosperous farmer, business owner, and local official in Mount Joy. (See, “Annals of Lancaster County”) His two brothers had died,
Berwyn, Pennsylvania is a census-designated place in Chester County, on the “Main Line” of suburbs stretching westward from Philadelphia. In February of 1914, Miss Ruth
Robert H. Coleman, iron magnate and once the richest man in Pennsylvania, was largely responsible for the development of Mount Gretna. The lovely spot was
I am astonished and envious when finding memorabilia related to the nation’s incredible transportation systems of the early 20th century. Readers of these postcard stories
The low-grade line across southern Lancaster County is one of the marvels of the Pennsylvania Railroad. I found this image with a lot of old
In south central Pennsylvania, where one still sees the grey buggies of conservative religious sects, it may not be as hard to imagine how ubiquitous
This handsome Station in the Beaux Arts style was erected in 1911, so it was the “new” station when this postcard was mailed in 1913.
Those of us who love to travel by train are often overcome by a deep longing to experience the days in which all major towns
I found this postcard, an uncolored photograph without attribution of the photographer, in an antique shop in Columbia, PA. Historians in the Facebook Group, “Trolleys,
John Henry Sends “Welcome Stream” – December 27, 1912 In 1912, Miss Anna Weidman lived on Spruce Street in Lititz. On December 27, Anna received
Sea Lions have lived in San Francisco Bay for millennia, feeding on the schools of anchovies that thrive there. At the time this postcard was
Several months ago, I posted a beautiful, hand-colored photograph of the Conestoga River that was on a postcard mailed to Bertie Kilbough in Peters Creek,
In January of 1911, Papa was in Portland, Oregon, but he was thinking of his little girl in Ashtabula, Ohio. Ashtabula is a city in
Pennsylvania ranks within the top ten states in the percentage of land devoted to parks or wildlife preservation. Many Pennsylvanians are unaware that game, including
Estimated to be 300 years old, and partially dead, the Holly Tree at Indian Steps has been celebrated for more than a century. Identified as
The large underground cave system near Carlsbad, New Mexico, was discovered by a local teen-aged boy in 1897. President Calvin Coolidge directed the development of
The Train in the City – Carlisle, PA (circa 1920) These postcard images of trains are often posted with feelings of regret that rail connections
A Truss Bridge Near Ephrata, PA I found an uncolored postcard photograph of a “Rural Scene Lancaster County, Penna.” The photograph shows horses pulling a
The Railroad Station in Gettysburg – circa 1910 My laments about the tragic decline of railroad networks may be tiresome to readers. But, here is
Pennsylvania Canal and Bridge at Columbia This postcard, printed in the United States in the first years of the 20th century, bears a legend, “Pennsylvania
“We Are All Well” – York Springs, PA (1909) Miss Alice Cleaver lived in York Springs, now a borough in Adams County, Pennsylvania, not far
Flossie Goes to the Opera – Alliance, Ohio (1907) In November of 1907, Flossie Farmer was busy in Alliance, Ohio. Flossie sent a postcard to
Tellings stories from the past.