“The Returned Soldier” – Columbia, PA (1928)
September 10, 2022
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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
Postcard Categories
A Monument to the Pioneer Mother – Kansas City, Missouri (1928)
September 10, 2022
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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
Monument to Thaddeus Stevens – Lancaster, PA (1909)
September 10, 2022
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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
A Poppy to Anna – Bausman, PA (1909)
September 10, 2022
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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” – circa 1908
September 10, 2022
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“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 Special” – Circa 1908
September 10, 2022
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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
Ruth and Frank Tour St. Augustine – Hackettstown, NJ (1925)
September 8, 2022
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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
The Light at Portland Head – Chebeague, Maine (1928)
September 8, 2022
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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
President Harding Visited the Club – West Palm Beach, Florida (1925)
September 8, 2022
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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 Works for the Gravel Company – Palmyra, N.Y. (1913)
September 8, 2022
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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 Is Back at Home – Pittsfield, Massachusetts (1934)
September 8, 2022
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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
“Everybody Having a Hot Old Time” – Albany, New York (1906)
September 8, 2022
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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
Easter Greetings to Norbert – Milwaukee, Wisconsin (1908)
September 7, 2022
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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
New Year’s Greetings between Two Ediths – Philadelphia, PA (1907)
September 7, 2022
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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,
“Better Than in the Country” – Lancaster, Pa (1909)
September 7, 2022
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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
“A Boy, a Girl, and a Hammock” – Utica, NY (1911)
September 7, 2022
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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
“Dear Hattie; Are you still living?” – Wilmington, Delaware (1909)
September 7, 2022
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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,
“You Should Come to Meet Me” – Bismarck, North Dakota (1911)
September 7, 2022
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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
Will the Suit Fit? – York, PA (1907)
September 7, 2022
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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
Postcard Painting of Lake George – Prudential Company (circa 1905)
September 7, 2022
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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
Advertising Oleomargarine – Swift & Company (1914)
September 7, 2022
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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
Wiest’s Dam – York, PA circa 1905
September 5, 2022
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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”
June Sees Movie Stars in Philadelphia – 1921
September 3, 2022
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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 Boys High School of Reading, PA – circa 1920
September 3, 2022
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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
The Bon Ton Store in York, PA – 1919
September 3, 2022
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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
Ada Sends a Valentine to Mr. Burger – Etters, PA, 1908
September 3, 2022
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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.
“With Best New Year Wishes” – York County, PA (1910/1911)
September 3, 2022
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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
Happy New Year to Amanda Weaver – 1912
September 3, 2022
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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
Jennie Invites Melvin to the Spelling Bee – York County, PA (1911)
September 3, 2022
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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
Easter Greetings to Clifton Thomson of York
September 3, 2022
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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
“Glucklich Reise dir Deine Freunde” – circa 1910
August 31, 2022
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We have seen several postcards related to blimps or zeppelins – the wonders of the sky in the early 20th century. (Other postcard stories featured
A Spiffy Roadster on Marietta Avenue – Lancaster, PA (circa 1915)
August 31, 2022
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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
The Dazzling Air Shows of Walter Brookins – Chicago (1910)
August 31, 2022
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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
“Grandpa Shot a Chicken Hawk” – Dallastown, PA (1907)
August 31, 2022
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(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
Meet Aunty at the Train! Phillipsburg, PA (1909)
August 29, 2022
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In September of 1909, young Mac Fryberger was living in Phillipsburg, PA, a borough in Centre County – not far from State College. Mac received
Bertha Writes from Put-in-Bay, Ohio (1906)
August 29, 2022
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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
Aunt Lizzie Answers Her Nephew – circa 1910
August 29, 2022
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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
“I Could Not Find Churches” – Whitehall, NY. (Circa 1910)
August 29, 2022
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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)
“You Can Use the Old Mast” – Terre Haute, Indiana (1909)
August 27, 2022
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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
Friendship Across the Atlantic – New York, NY (1907)
August 27, 2022
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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. Hartman’s Son Visits Amsterdam – Waynesboro, PA (1928)
August 27, 2022
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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
On the Porch – circa 1910
August 25, 2022
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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
Aunt Anna with Buddy & Lucille – circa 1910
August 25, 2022
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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
Grace and Iva – Walhonding, Ohio (1908)
August 25, 2022
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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
Florence Lombard and Canadian Friends – circa 1910
August 25, 2022
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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 Writes to Hila – Rose Hill, Iowa (1910)
August 25, 2022
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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)
Curtis Gives a Weighty Greeting to His Aunt – Muddy Creek Forks, PA (circa 1910)
August 25, 2022
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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
“Home Folks…Good and True” – Reno, Nevada (1911)
August 25, 2022
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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
Bessie Has Another “Social” – St. Louis, Missouri (1909)
August 25, 2022
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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
Everything O.K. in Lancaster, PA (circa1910)
August 25, 2022
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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
“If You Can’t Be Good, Be Careful” (1907)
August 25, 2022
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This comic postcard, published by Bamforth & Company, was printed in England. Other comic postcards of Bamforth (the large moustache, the forgotten purse) have been
“Meet Me Downtown on Saturday Night” – Mount Pleasant, PA (1916)
August 25, 2022
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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
Kissing is the Rage – Webster Springs, West Virginia (1913)
August 25, 2022
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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.
“In Pastures Green” – Camden, New Jersey (1907)
August 25, 2022
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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
Fishermen Come Ashore – circa 1910
August 25, 2022
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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
The Baby and the Anthracite Mine – Wilmington, Delaware (1911)
August 25, 2022
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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,
The Approaching Storm – Jacksonville, Florida (1929)
August 25, 2022
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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
“Merry Christmas” to Tomahawk – Tomahawk, Wisconsin (1914)
August 21, 2022
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Sadie, Mrs. Harry Tiffany, lived in Tomahawk – a small city in northern Wisconsin, in an area that was still hunted by Ojibwe peoples until
Hugh Sends a Cooling Stream – Wilmington, Vermont (1907)
August 19, 2022
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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
Mr. Berryman Camps in Yellowstone – Gardiner, Montana (1914)
August 19, 2022
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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
Greetings from Sonnenberg, Ohio – 1919
August 19, 2022
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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
Bella Summers in the Catskills – Phoenicia, New York (1930)
August 19, 2022
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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
“A Joyous Yuletide” from Belle – Glastonbury, Connecticut (1919)
August 19, 2022
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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
Christmas Wishes from Grace – Lancaster, PA (circa 1920)
August 19, 2022
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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
The Great Earthquake of San Francisco – April 18, 1906
August 17, 2022
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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
The Death of Mrs. Esser – Heron Lake, Minnesota (1909)
August 17, 2022
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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
A Player Died from Injuries Last Game – 1913
August 17, 2022
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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
The Flood of 1933 – York, PA
August 17, 2022
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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
A Train Derailment on Thanksgiving Day (1907) – Postmarked 1909
August 17, 2022
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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
Cyclone Destroys Columbia Bridge – 1896
August 17, 2022
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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
Singing and Yelling for the “Scrap” – West Lafayette, Indiana (circa 1920)
August 14, 2022
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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
The Girls Are Coming Over – Gap, PA (1912)
August 14, 2022
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Miss Alice Martin lived in Kinzer, an unincorporated rural community in eastern Lancaster County, along the original Philadelphia & Lancaster Turnpike. In July of 1912,
Uncle John Sends “Best Wishes”- Andover, N.J. (1908)
August 14, 2022
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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
“The Good Times I Had at Your Place” – Bart, PA (1915)
August 14, 2022
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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
“My Wife Won’t Let Me” – Camden, New Jersey (1908)
August 14, 2022
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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
“Did My Ancestors Come From Monkeys“- circa 1910
August 14, 2022
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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 Thanks Her Niece – Red Oak, Iowa (1908)
August 13, 2022
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Aunt Jennie lived in Red Oak, a small city in southeast Iowa. The city was founded when the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad arrived in
The “Telephone Girl” and the Forest Ranger – The Dalles, Oregon (circa 1910)
August 12, 2022
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This comic postcard, featuring a telephone operator making a date for lunch, was not mailed – it was “enclosed”, probably within a letter. It was
Too Tired to Write – Denver, Colorado (1908)
August 12, 2022
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This comic postcard was illustrated by D. Hillson – who was introduced in earlier postcard stories. Copyright in 1907, the illustration shows a yawning figure
Uncle Dave Receives a Postcard – Billings, Montana (1908)
August 12, 2022
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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 Horse Show at Madison Square Garden -1903
August 12, 2022
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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
Summer in the Ozarks – Noel, Missouri (1935)
August 12, 2022
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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.
The Women Petition the Bishop – Akron, Ohio (1920)
August 10, 2022
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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
The Merry-Go-Round List – Marietta, Ohio (1945)
August 10, 2022
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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 Church Attacked by Cannon Fire – Norfolk, Virginia (1910)
August 10, 2022
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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,
The Beautiful Church Built from Grief – Lebanon, PA (1915)
August 10, 2022
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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
“Peace of Mind and Strength of Soul” – Lafayette, Indiana (1921)
August 10, 2022
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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,
Ruth Forgets to Answer – Marietta, PA (1911)
August 10, 2022
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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
“I Once Had a Friend” – Warren, N.Y. (1910)
August 10, 2022
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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
A Postcard from William Studebaker – New Paris, PA (1910)
August 10, 2022
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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
Joseph Sends Easter Joy – 1923
August 10, 2022
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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
Loving Easter Wishes to Grandma – 1916
August 10, 2022
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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
Glad Easter Greetings from Pearl – Painesville, Ohio (1911)
August 10, 2022
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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
Valley Forge and the Struggle to Endure- Postcard Photograph (circa 1945)
August 10, 2022
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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
Uncle Hiram Sends a Christmas Cat – Circa 1910
August 10, 2022
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I believe that Jacob K. Bechtel was a boy when his Uncle Hiram gave to him a Christmas postcard. The illustration of a cat surrounded
A Christmas Wish from California – Kent City, Michigan (1921)
August 10, 2022
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Mr. and Mrs. N. L. Barrett lived in Kent City, a village in southeast Michigan, about 20 miles north of Grand Rapids. In December of
Sailing on the Jersey Shore – Atlantic City (1912)
August 10, 2022
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Before motor-powered boats crowded the sea lanes near New Jersey, there were sailboats in the marinas that still line the bays and inlets of the
Mary Shaw Leader -Intrepid Reporter of 1863
August 8, 2022
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I had never heard the interesting tale of Mary Shaw Leader. At 23, Miss Leader was a news reporter for the Hanover Spectator, which was
The Monument to McKinley – Reading, PA (1906)
August 8, 2022
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The 1901 assassination of William McKinley at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, NY shocked the nation. This was a time of optimism in American
Louise Goes to Binghamton – Binghamton, N.Y. (1910)
August 8, 2022
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Miss Annie Evans lived in Scranton, the booming industrial city in northeast Pennsylvania. (We looked recently at another postcard related to Scranton – the “Electric
The Leafy Suburb – Roselle Park, New Jersey (1908)
August 8, 2022
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Although I have lived most of my adult life in cities, I love the tree-lined streets of mature suburbs. Roselle Park is a borough in
Love from Harry, Hal & Emma – circa 1915
July 27, 2022
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Sometime around 1915, a small family shared their photograph by postcard. The picture was taken on the porch of a home, but (probably) was developed
Elva Sends Her Picture to a Friend – Clinton, Iowa (1908)
July 27, 2022
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Elva (age 13) and her sister, Cecile, (age 6) lived in Clinton, Iowa. Clinton is a city on the Mississippi River in east central Iowa.
Four Friends in Winter – circa 1915
July 27, 2022
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In this postcard photograph, the men are seated, the woman stand behind – a traditional pose in photographs of the early twentieth century. These two
Father Drinks from Shasta Spring – Shasta Springs, California (1906)
July 15, 2022
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Shasta Springs was a popular summer resort on the Upper Sacramento River in Northern California. The resort was on the main line of the Southern
“Launching” on the Black River – South Haven, Michigan (1910)
July 15, 2022
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South Haven is a port city in southeast Michigan, where the Black River flows into Lake Michigan. A center of transportation of passengers and freight,
Miss Parker Sees the “Wild & Wooly” West – Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1933)
July 15, 2022
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Miss L. V. Parker lived in York, Pennsylvania. She had a friend, “B”, who was traveling through the west. In December of 1933, Miss Parker
Let’s Hang Together – Vancouver, British Columbia (1923)
July 15, 2022
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The face of this comic postcard features an illustration of six diapered infants pinned to a clothesline with clothespins. Three of the children do not
Myrtle and Franklin “Clean Forgot” – Atlantic City, N.J. (1939)
July 15, 2022
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Miss Laura Miller lived on a rural delivery route outside Lancaster, PA. In early September of 1939, she received a comic postcard from Myrtle and
A Pastoral Scene for Mr. Nyce – Vernfield, PA (1907)
July 14, 2022
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Several months ago, I posted a comic postcard (the “Big Squeeze”) that had been printed by the NYCE Manufacturing Company of Vernfield, PA. (The Nyce
“Hitting the Pipe” – Ludington, Michigan (1907)
July 14, 2022
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We met young Edmund Harnish in an earlier postcard story – he had received a postcard greeting of original art featuring boys playing marbles. That
Nora is Coming Home – Reinholds Station (February, 1910)
July 14, 2022
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George Garner lived in Reinholds, an unincorporated community at the northernmost point of Lancaster County. Railroad lines once connected many rural towns in the area.
Birds in Flight -German American Novelty Company 1906
July 14, 2022
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In an earlier post, I mentioned the German American Novelty Company which commissioned original art for the international market in postcards. This postcard drawing of
The Solar Salt Beds – Syracuse, New York (1908)
July 14, 2022
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One learns interesting facts from the collecting of vintage postcards – in this case, that central New York State was the nation’s leading producer of
Martha works at the Y – Baltimore, Maryland (1925)
July 14, 2022
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In January of 1925, Martha Randall was on her Christmas Break from school. Unexpectedly, Martha had received a postcard from another young woman she had
Fannie Sends Birdland to Her Aunt – Des Moines, Iowa (1907)
July 14, 2022
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Mrs. H. Stryker lived in Chicago, Illinois. In June of 1907, she received a postcard greeting from her niece, Fannie. Jammie mailed the postcard from
Let Us Be Sweethearts – Madison Run, Virginia (1909)
June 28, 2022
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Mr. Morris was in Washington D.C. when he sent a flirty postcard greeting to Miss Lelia Hicks. Miss Lelia lived in the small community (“populated
Reginald is Planning a Picnic – Woodbine, Illinois (1907)
June 28, 2022
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Lizzie Baumgardner lived in Fulda, a small city on Lake Fulda in southwest Minnesota. The town is known as the “Home of the Wood Duck”.
“Your Dainty Snow-White Frock” – Philadelphia, PA (1913)
June 28, 2022
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In August of 1913, Miss Lenora Grambach was celebrating her birthday. She received a postcard greeting from W. Weitzel who sent “best wishes” and a
Miss Stout Receives a Typed Greeting – Newtown, Missouri (1909)
June 28, 2022
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Miss Opal Stout lived in Newtown, a small town in north central Missouri. (In 1910, Newtown had 261 residents; in 2019, the population had fallen
“No Kind of Weather To Be Shut In” – Rome, New York (1912)
June 28, 2022
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Daniel Craig lived in Rome, a city in central New York State. The city is located on a portage path made by the Iroquois people
Don’t Worry About the Future – Manheim, PA (1909)
June 28, 2022
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Bertha Root lived in Manheim, the charming town laid out by Henry William Stiegel in 1762. “Baron Stiegel” founded the Manheim Glassworks which produced the
Roy Sends His Picture to His Sister – Mansfield, Ohio (1910)
June 28, 2022
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Although Roy identifies his address in Dayton, he was in the bustling city of Mansfield, Ohio when he mailed a postcard photograph to his sister.
The English Girl – circa 1910
June 28, 2022
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Grimsby is an English town in Lincolnshire, on the North Sea. Built on the estuary of the Humber River, the site was once occupied by
The English Boy – Putney (London) circa 1910
June 28, 2022
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Leslie was two years and four months old when his mother held him for a studio portrait. The photograph was made at the Ideal Studio
Mrs. Cora McGuigan of York – circa 1910
June 28, 2022
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This beautiful picture of mother and child was created at the photography studio of Simon & Murnane in York. The Studio was located at 227
French Women Going to Church – France (circa 1905)
June 28, 2022
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I admired the wonderful coloration of this postcard when I first saw it. The many shades of blue and purple are exquisitely applied. Despite the
Katherine Sends Her Church to Emma – Kenton, Ohio (1908)
June 28, 2022
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Katherine S. lived in Kenton, a city in west-central Ohio. The site was first settled as Fort McArthur, one of a series of fortifications erected
The Horse & Buggy- Whitesburg, PA (1908)
June 28, 2022
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Mr. Henry Coffman lived in Freeport, a borough of Armstrong County in the mountainous region northeast of Pittsburgh. Freeport lies on the Allegheny River and
The Pecos High Bridge
June 28, 2022
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The Pecos River flows from the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of New Mexico to the Rio Grande River near Del Rio, Texas. Near Del Rio,
A Bright Greeting to Miss Mary White – Mohnton, PA (1911)
June 20, 2022
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Miss Mary White may have celebrated a birthday in February of 1911; she received a beautiful postcard greeting from a friend. Miss White lived in
Mother is in the Hospital – Baltimore, MD (1913)
June 20, 2022
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Mrs. Matilda Hill was a patient of the Maryland University Hospital in Baltimore. We do not know the cause of her hospitalization, but she continued
“Children to bed and asleep…”. Brooklyn, NY (1908)
June 20, 2022
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Mrs. Richardson was in Brewer, Maine – a small city on the Penobscot River on the Maine coast. Brewer is the sister city of Bangor,
Mountain Railroad of Klapperthal Glen
June 20, 2022
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At the end of the 19th century, a number of hotels, resorts, and taverns were erected on Neversink Mountain, one of the peaks overlooking the
Railroad Advertisement and National Parks
June 20, 2022
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In his documentary about our great National Parks (2009), Ken Burns noted that the railroads were great boosters of the efforts to create and maintain
The Western Maryland Railroad at York – 1909
June 20, 2022
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The story of the Western Maryland Railroad illustrates how local railroad companies created an incredible network of rail connections across the United States. (I consider
“Prosperity and Peace” to Philadelphia
June 20, 2022
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Emma (Mrs. F. S. Davis) lived in Winthrop, a city at the entrance to Boston Harbor, just east of the city of Boston. In November
Mother Davis Sends Joy – Winthrop, Massachusetts (1914)
June 20, 2022
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Emma (Mrs. F. S. Davis) lived in Winthrop, a city at the entrance to Boston Harbor, just east of the city of Boston. In November
The Almshouse of York – 1912
June 17, 2022
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On-line, one can find other photographs of this imposing building along with other York County structures that exist no longer. Beginning in the Middle Ages,
The Berks County Almshouse – 1918
June 17, 2022
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In 1825, The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania enacted a measure to require an Almshouse in every county. The Berks County Almshouse, which grew to become a
Looking Up the Allegheny River – Pittsburgh (1923
June 17, 2022
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The City of Pittsburgh grew up at the confluence of two great rivers, the Allegheny and the Monongahela. Together, these rivers form the Ohio River
Will Grandma Come for Dinner? 1910
June 13, 2022
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On July 25, 1910, Mabel sent a postcard to her mother, Mrs. Henry Grider, of Columbia, PA. (The borough of Columbia, located on the Susquehanna
Good Luck and Best Wishes – Kleinfeltersville, PA (1910)
June 13, 2022
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Miss Sophie Moore lived in Kleinfeltersville, an unincorporated community, east of Schaefferstown, in Lebanon County. (Kleinfeltersville is the second-longest unhyphenated post office address in the
“Lost in the Mule Tracks” – Gordonville, PA (1907)
June 13, 2022
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Mr. Earl Hershey lived in Gordonville, an unincorporated community in the eastern part of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Gordonville lies in a rich agricultural area that
Track & Field Day – Brooklyn, NY (1906)
June 13, 2022
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Miss Lillian Rothberg lived in Brooklyn, New York – the most-populated borough of New York City. In August of 1906, Lillian received a postcard from
“Nothing Chicago Can Do for Me” – St. Louis, Missouri (1921)
June 13, 2022
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Mrs. Carrie Smith lived in St. Louis. Her sister, Vio, was visiting Cousin Leslie in Chicago. In September of 1921, Carrie received a postcard from
Victoria & Elmer Play Pebble Beach – Salinas, California (1937)
June 13, 2022
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In September of 1937, Mrs. Alice Sherrard was living in Spokane, Washington – the lovely city between the Selkirk Mountains and the foothills of the
“Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness” (1908)
June 13, 2022
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This postcard illustration of Commandment IX was copyright by the Rose Company in 1908. Printed in the United States, the postcard was not mailed. Like
Thou Shalt Not Kill -West Hanover, PA (1907)
June 13, 2022
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At a recent meeting of the local Postcard Club, I found this illustration of the Commandment, “Thou Shalt Not Kill”. I have seen other examples
“The Little Church Around the Corner” – Manhattan (1910)
June 13, 2022
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The Church of the Transfiguration was founded as an Anglo-Catholic parish of the Episcopal Church in 1849. Built in a Early English Neo-Gothic Style, the
Hearty Christmas Wishes to Julia, Poughkeepsie, NY (1913)
June 9, 2022
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Miss Julia Knorr lived in Poughkeepsie, the Hudson River city and town halfway between New York City and Albany, New York. Poughkeepsie is an old
The Dye’s Send Kind Thoughts at Christmas – Los Angeles, California (1921)
June 9, 2022
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Robert and Josie O’Hara lived in Los Angeles. In December of 1921, the O’Hara family received a Christmas postcard from “the Dyes”. The postcard was
Peace & Goodwill in Your Heart Today – Plainfield, Illinois (1908)
June 9, 2022
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Mrs. Sarah Eldridge lived in Plainfield, a village on the DuPage River in northeastern Illinois. In the 19th century, the village supplied lumber and other
Martha Is Summering in the Alps – Chamonix, France (1906)
June 6, 2022
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During the recent days of record-breaking heat, one might become envious of the early twentieth-century travelers who sought the summer comfort of alpine regions. In
Ada and the View of Toronto – Mt Nebo, PA (Lancaster County), 1913
June 6, 2022
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Miss Ada Brubaker lived in Mount Nebo, a populated place in southwest Lancaster County. It is not far from the Holtwood Dam on the Susquehanna
Huron College – Huron, South Dakota (circa 1900)
June 3, 2022
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Before South Dakota became a state, a group of Presbyterian leaders founded a college in Pierre. In 1883, this was the first college to grant
“You Have Waited Too Long” – Hazlehurst, Mississippi (1908)
June 3, 2022
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Bessie lived in Hazlehurst, a small city south of Jackson, the capital of Mississippi. (Hazlehurst was developed as a stop on the Jackson-New Orleans Railroad,
“Grandma Is Not So Good Just Now”. – Emmaus, PA (1911)
June 3, 2022
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Ruth Yocum lived in Temple, which was once a borough in Berks County, PA, but was disincorporated in the 1990’s. The small community is now
The Saltair Pavilion on the Great Salt Lake – circa 1920
June 3, 2022
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There have been successive entertainment palaces constructed on the edge of Utah’s Great Salt Lake. The first and the most splendid was erected in 1893;
“Some More Milk, Please”- Rutherford, New Jersey (1909)
May 25, 2022
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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
“Resting” – Sharon, PA (1911)
May 25, 2022
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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
An Inspiring Rally Day – Hoernerstown, PA (1935)
May 25, 2022
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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 (1901)
May 25, 2022
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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
Daisy Sends a Church to Emma- Marysville, Ohio (1907)
May 25, 2022
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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
Along the Codorus -1907
May 25, 2022
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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
Springtime on the Conocoheague River – Chambersburg, PA (1930)
May 25, 2022
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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
The “Picturesque” Disposal Plant – 1921
May 25, 2022
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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
“A Happy Easter to Margaret” – 1913
May 25, 2022
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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
“The Mumps Are Gone” – Newark, Delaware (1909)
May 25, 2022
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Miss Edith McCarns lived in Newark, Delaware – a small city and college town less than a mile from the juncture of Delaware, Maryland, and
“Happy New Year” from Hattie – 1910
May 25, 2022
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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
Everlasting Christmas Joy – Kansas City, Missouri (1921)
May 20, 2022
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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.
Merry Christmas from Lena – 1913
May 20, 2022
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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
A Christmas Bluebird from Rose -1921
May 20, 2022
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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
Escape to Sun Valley, Idaho – circa 1940
May 20, 2022
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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
“Beauties of Spring on the Ancestral Acres” – Brookfield, Connecticut (1912)
May 20, 2022
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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
The New State of Oklahoma – circa 1910
May 20, 2022
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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
Zillah Reaches California – Los Angeles (1913)
May 20, 2022
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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
Apres le Theatre at the Knickerbocker – New York City (1918)
May 20, 2022
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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
Aunt Stella Writes to Her Nephew – 1911
May 16, 2022
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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
A Flower from Aberdeen – Gorsuch Mills, MD (1911)
May 16, 2022
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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