In other postcard stories, we have seen comic or romantic themes illustrated by the publishers, Bamforth & Co: “Under the Umbrella”, “The Male is Late”,
Sometime around 1910, the family of the Rev. T. Davis posed for a photographic portrait. The photograph was printed on a postcard – a common
This postcard photograph was not mailed, and there is no written inscription that identifies the subject. Sometime around 1910, a child had her photographic portrait
Mr. C. H. Humphreys lived in Morrisville, a borough in Bucks County of southeast Pennsylvania. Interestingly, Morrisville was first established as a trading post of
Mr. Lewis Harrison lived in Matthews, a small town on the Mississinewa River in north-central Indiana. (The town was laid out with very wide streets,
Miss Mabel Schutretter lived in Pottsville, a small city and county seat of Schuylkill County in east-central Pennsylvania. Until the mid-20th century, Pottsville was a
Ethel Nash lived in Wismer, a tiny community at a crossroads in Bucks County of southeast Pennsylvania. The community was named for members of the
Master Homer Schoerner was growing up in McKeansburg, a census-designated place in Schuylkill County of east-central Pennsylvania. This small community grew up around a crossroads
Sometime around 1910, Anna Mary Mann was given a postcard from George W. Gamble. Without an address or a postmark, it is very difficult to
Miss Blanche Shughart lived on a Rural Delivery Route outside the borough of Carlisle in south-central Pennsylvania. Carlisle, at the intersection of several indigenous trails
Eugene Field, the colorful writer, poet, and newspaper man, is not praised today with the same fervor that his reputation enjoyed at the turn of
Sometime around 1910, three young men posed for a photograph at the studio of Gianakis & Svolos on State Street in Chicago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Street_(Chicago) The three
Chester E. Piell lived in Pittstown, an unincorporated community in west-central New Jersey. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittstown,_New_Jersey At Easter in a year near 1910, Chester received a postcard
We met Daisy Pickel in earlier postcard stories. When she received this postcard, Daisy was living on a rural delivery route near Safe Harbor, a
We met Bessie Douglas in earlier postcard stories. Bessie was growing up in Anselma, a small community that grew up around a mill on the
Sometime around 1910, Mrs. G. F. Latimer was living in Woodsfield – a village in Monroe County of southeast Ohio. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodsfield,_Ohio Mrs. Latimer was celebrating
Jesse Dyson lived in Oil City, the town on the Oil River in northwest Pennsylvania that became an early center of the oil industry. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_City,_Pennsylvania
Other postcard stories have mentioned the hobby of postcard painting that was enjoyed by many amateur artists in the early 20th century. This example of
We met Estella Dunlap (“Stella”) in other postcard stories. Postcards that were mailed to her are addressed to Coatesville, PA. In the early 20th century,
This example of postcard art is part of a series entitled, “A Gretna Green Elopement”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gretna_Green “Gretna Green”, a village in Scotland, was the destination
Miss Mary Singer lived in Columbia, the borough that became center of transportation and commerce on the Susquehanna River in south-central Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia,_Pennsylvania In July
Most of us know eucalyptus as an ingredient in balms, lotions, or potpourri, or as an aromatic addition to flower arrangements or dried plant bouquets.
This Christmas postcard was exchanged between schoolmates. It was not mailed, which complicates the task of interpreting the address abbreviations of the sender. Mr. Alfred
Mrs. S. Zea lived in Gloversville, the center of glove-making in the Mohawk Valley of central New York State. For most of the 19th century,
Mrs. Jacob Dohner lived in Palmyra, a borough in the Lebanon Valley of south-central Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmyra,_Pennsylvania Sometime near 1910, Mrs. Dohner received a postcard photograph
I cannot prove that the two boys on this postcard photograph are brothers. The postcard lacks any indication of location, date, or studio. But the
Sometime around 1910, two smiling children sat for a photographic portrait. Although the photograph was printed on a postcard, there is no indication of a
Miss Zilpha Hyde lied in Lowell, a city on the Grand River, about 15 miles east of Grand Rapids, Michigan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lowell,_Michigan Zilpha resided in the
The beautiful city of Nice is older than any written documents – it enters into the histories of the Greeks (4th century BC) and the
Before World War I, there were large German-speaking communities throughout the United States. German-language newspapers and periodicals connected this ethnic community, the largest in the
I found this postcard photograph some time ago when I was collecting images from the Penn Park Studio of York, PA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/York,_Pennsylvania The Penn Park
In the early 20th century, the city of Reading, PA was a bustling center of industry, commerce, and transportation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading,_Pennsylvania The city boasted numerous photography
Sometime around 1910, a young gentleman had his photographic portrait made an unknown studio. The photo was printed on postcards, but the studio not named.
Mr. Herbert Fisher lived near Martins Creek, a census-designated place in the Lehigh Valley of east-central Pennsylvania. Through the first half of the 20th century,
Mr. B. F. Hartman was a school teacher; I have postcards addressed to him in several places of central Pennsylvania, including Shippensburg and Harrisburg. We
Mrs. Inez Thompson lived in Plattsmouth, the county seat of Cass County in east-central Nebraska. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plattsmouth,_Nebraska Sometime near Christmas, in a year near 1910, Mrs. Thompson
Miss Stella Dunlap lived in Coatesville, the steel-making city along the Brandywine River in Chester County of southeast Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coatesville,_Pennsylvania Miss Dunlap was an avid
For this very warm Sunday in late summer, a look at one of the phrases of the Lord’s Prayer. In earlier postcard stories, we saw
Sometime around 1910, a couple celebrated their engagement by having a photographic portrait made. The photograph was printed on postcards, to be shared with friends
This postcard photograph was not mailed, and no thoughtful soul inscribed either the names of the family members or their location. A man and a
Estella Dunlap had many friends and admirers, judging by the large collection of postcards she saved during her life. Estella is sometimes addresses as “Stella”.
I believe that this postcard was exchanged between children. The postcard was neither addressed not mailed, so we cannot learn very much about the children
Mr. Norman Swartz lived in Topeka, the capital city on the Kansas River in the State of Kansas. Originally, Topeka was a ferry point for
Mrs. Richard Hazelhurst lived in Swansea, a town on the Taunton River in southeast Massachusetts – 47 south of Boston and 12 miles southeast of
Williamsport, the largest city in north-central Pennsylvania, was a prosperous center of industry in the early 20th century. (Today, sadly, it is about 40% smaller
I have a packet of postcards related to the family of P. J. Nelson who lived in Los Angles in the early years of the
Campbell’s Island is an island in the Mississippi River near the city of East Moline, Illinois to which it is connected by a bridge. The
We have posted other stories related to the industrial and commercial powerhouse that was Reading, Pennsylvania. Like other busy cities, Reading boasted numerous photography studios
We met Miss L. C. Hyde in earlier postcard stories; she received a postcard from her friend who wrote to her from Belding, Michigan. Miss
A Kiss at Midnight – Berkeley Springs, WV (circa 1910) We met Miss Odessa Mendenhall in earlier postcard stories – we recently looked at the
Ida May Bard lived in Columbia, the beautiful town sitting above the Susquehanna River in southern Pennsylvania. Since the early 19th century, the Pennsylvania Canal
I believe that this postcard was exchanged between youngsters. Miss Esther Coffman lived in Edinburg, a town in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edinburg,_Virginia Today
Howard Hetrick lived in Linglestown, a “Census Designated Place” in Dauphin County of central Pennsylvania. This community, at the foot of a mountain, was initially
The face of this lovely postcard shows a night-time boating excursion. A young couple drifts in a rowboat, under the light of a full moon.
Miss Emma Vinier lived in Providence, the beautiful city on the Providence River and the capital of Rhode Island. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Providence,_Rhode_Island It seems that Miss Vinier
While most of the United States is wilting under a July Heat Dome, I am posting only cooling scenes. We met Miss Odessa Mendanhall in
For Father’s Day, a postcard photograph taken circa 1910. The photograph was probably made by a studio, but the postcard lacks any indication of a
Sometime in a warm month near 1910, a group celebrated their gathering by making a postcard photograph. Because most cameras did not have wide-angle capability,
Grace Diehl lived in Mount Vernon, a city along the Kokosing River of central Ohio. Mount Vernon is 40 miles northeast of Columbus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vernon,_Ohio Sometime
Every new form of communication eventually evolves to include sexual content -you might be amazed to know how much internet traffic is related to pornography.
We met Josephine Burkhard in an earlier postcard story: Josephine, the daughter of Egnatz Burkhard, lived in St. Nazianz, Wisconsin. St. Nazianz had been settled
Joliet, Illinois is a city about 35 miles southwest of Chicago; it was named for Louis Joliet, French explorer and fur trapper, who accompanied the
Miss Stella Corcoran lived in Bendena, a census-designated place in the northeast corner of Kansas -about 15 miles north of Atchison. Bendena had another name
Sometime around 1910, a young Virginian sat for a photographic portrait. The portrait was made and printed at Kramer’s Studio in Petersburg, Virginia. Petersburg is
Sometime around 1910, a young man posed jauntily for a postcard photograph. There is no indication of the studio that made the photograph or that
Sometime in a warm month when trees are leaved, a group of friends commemorated their meeting with a postcard photograph. One is glad to find
In large immigrant communities across the US, one can find statues and monuments to the heroes of the European homeland. In other postcard stories, we
Miss Helen Austin was in Sparks, a city in western Nevada. Sparks was a small settlement near Reno until 1904, when the Southern Pacific Railroad
Scranton, the largest city in northeast Pennsylvania, became an important center of the coal-mining and steel-making industries in the 19th century. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scranton,_Pennsylvania Vast quantities of
Walter Weidman lived in Manheim, the borough which produced famous glassware in Colonial Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manheim,_Pennsylvania Sometime around 1910, Walter received a birthday postcard from his
Arthur Switzer lived in Bryant, a town in eastern Indiana. Bryant was founded when the railroad was extended through north-central Indiana. In 1910, the town
This Art Postcard advertised the F. W. Crane Company of Dresden, Germany. An office in Cincinnati, Ohio was the center for business in the United
Sometime around 1910, Inez presented to Ward a postcard in celebration of Washington’s Birthday. On the face, a large hatchet is framed by cherries –
Miss Mary Crook lived in Parkton, an agricultural area north of Baltimore and touching the Mason-Dixon line. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkton,_Maryland For Valentine’s Day in a year near
Miss Mary Stehman lived in Rohrerstown, a vibrant community a few miles west of Lancaster, PA. https://roadsidethoughts.com/pa/rohrerstown-xx-lancaster-profile.htm On St. Patrick’s Day, in a year near
This postcard was not mailed, but I am sharing it because it reflects so well the popular enthusiasm for aircraft of all kinds in the
I picked up this postcard because I was unfamiliar with the casual greeting, “Honeyface”. This may have had a private meaning related to an unfortunate
Victor Berry lived in Galt, a small city in north-central Missouri. The town was platted in 1881 when the railroad reached the area. Unfortunately, the
Until finding this postcard, I would not have been able to identify the oldest house in Berks County. Erected in 1716, the house was the
Sometime around 1910, Miss Alice Shaak lived in Millersville – the college town west of Lancaster, PA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millersville,_Pennsylvania Alice seems to have fallen behind in
It may be a college campus on which these young men are casually posed with musical instruments. The postcard lacks any indication of place or
New Ulm is a wonderful city at the juncture of the Minnesota River and the Cottonwood River in south-central Minnesota. Founded by German immigrants following
Before mechanical balers, a farmer needed to know how to build a wagon-load of free-thrown hay. I saw this done a few times when I
Last year, I found and posted a photographic portrait of a young man that was made by the Fritz Studio in Reading, PA. In 1910,
I don’t believe that the community of Elizabethtown is a hotbed of broken promises; postcards like this one were purchased by printers who affixed a
This postcard drawing depicts an idyllic scene of a solitary figure fishing in a lush, rural landscape. Although there is no indication of publisher and
This well-made postcard, featuring an original painting depicting an Autumn landscape, was published by the German American Novelty Art Company. In earlier posts, I have
There are many celebrated resorts of the early 20th century (and 19th century) that have followed a similar trajectory. A lavish resort is built in
This is not the grand Public Library building, funded by Andrew Carnegie, that was completed in 1913. The website of the Reading Public Library contains
I am posting this bit of political advertising as a sample of constituent services by a US Congressman circca 1910. Daniel Franklin Lafean was a
Miss Grace Butler lived in Swan, a very small city in Marion County of central Iowa. The population of Swan reached its zenith in 1890
This postcard is one of a series of postcard drawings depicting young lovers. Each one of the series shows a young man and young woman
This charming quartet memorialized their woodland stroll with a postcard photograph. The postcard lacks any indication of place or time, or the identities of the
This beautiful Christmas postcard was copyright by Sander and printed circa 1910. A Christmas verse, in ornate script, invokes “All Joy” and “All Blessings” on
Anna Mary Mann was a student at the Prospect Hill School. Her teacher was George W. Gamble. Sometime around 1910, Mr. Gamble presented a postcard
Perhaps the greatest monument to the skill, idealism, passion, and craftsmanship of the Late Medieval Period is found on the Ile de La Cite, in
Columbia was an important transportation hub throughout the 19th century. When the state of New York opened the Erie Canal in 1825, and construction began
I enjoy learning about the many photography studios that once operated in towns and cities across the country. This photographic portrait was made by “Wm.
Sometime around 1910, Aunt Nellie sent a picture of a boy; the postcard photograph was probably enclosed in a letter- it was not mailed. On
Sometime in December of a year near 1910, Miss Bertha Myren received a postcard from her sister, Clara. Clara lived nearby, within the distance that
Mrs. J. Oliver lived in Hawleyville, an unincorporated community near Danbury in southeast Connecticut. At Christmas, in a year around 1910, Mrs. Oliver received a
I am an episodic consumer of magazines and journals; have been an erstwhile subscriber to “The Atlantic Monthly”, the “New Yorker”, “Harper’s”, “National Geographic”, “The
Benjamin Stauffer was born in 1900, so he was about 10 years old when he received the Christmas postcard from his cousin, Anna. We may
The only good thing that emerged from the Great Fire of London (September of 1666) was the improvement of streets and the erection of magnificent
“Camel Driver” is not an exact translation of “chamelier”; it might be better to say, “camel man”, as in the English word, “horseman”. I found
Mrs. Henry Fiedler lived in Winona, the lovely city on the Mississippi River in southeast Minnesota. In 1910, hundreds of steamboats landed at Winona each
Elwood was a conscientious nephew who remembered the birthday of Aunt Anna. For the occasion, Elwood selected an exceptionally well-made postcard, beautifully colored and gilded.
This phrase from “the Lord’s Prayer” reflects the longing and the aching of many people who hope to see the world set aright. I am
Jerusalem, the city sacred to three monotheistic faiths, is pictured here in a postcard circa 1910. It is a sad indictment of human nature that
The artist, Gustav Richter, was born in Berlin in 1823. He studied there, and in Paris, and in Rome. (He died in Berlin in 1884).
Because of the circumstances in which I acquired this postcard photograph, I believe that the location is Saxton, PA. Saxton, in Bedford County (south central
I am sure that every new parent is dazzled by the marvelous creature that is born into the family. This father is so young that
We cannot know what event was celebrated by this photograph, but it appears to be a family gathering on the porch. It may have been
Photographic portraits from Atlantic City are not rare; millions of visitors flocked to the shore each summer. Hundreds of thousands had photographs made at Boardwalk
Sometime in the very early twentieth century, a group of young women celebrated their outdoor picnic by making a picture postcard. The picture is not
Three friends were captured in a photograph about 1910. The women are standing with linked arms in front of a structure with wooden siding. Each
The city of Harlowton lies on the Musselshell River on a high plain between the mountains of central Montana. It was an ancient hunting ground
In the early twentieth century, hand-crafted postcards were constructed of a variety of materials and sent through the mail. I have posted samples of hand-painted
This postcard photograph was made by the Penn Park Studio which operated at locations in York and in Hanover. Sometime around 1910, a group of
I recently acquired a postcard photograph, circa 1910, of a stylish young woman wearing a broad-brimmed hat with a tassel. An admirer of hats, although
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
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
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
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.
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
Elizabeth Receives a Rose from her Mother – circa 1910 Sometime around 1910, Elizabeth Karr was living in Mount Nebo, Pa. Mt. Nebo is a
I love the Ephrata Cloister – the preserved buildings, the museum, the grounds, and the sacred history of the place. “The Cloister” was established in
We have seen several postcards related to blimps or zeppelins – the wonders of the sky in the early 20th century. (Other postcard stories featured
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)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
This beautiful picture of mother and child was created at the photography studio of Simon & Murnane in York. The Studio was located at 227
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
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
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 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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
This comic postcard has an interesting pedigree. Douglas Tempest (born 1887) was a British illustrator and cartoonist who went on to become a pioneerin film
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
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
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
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
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
John Henry Sends “Welcome Stream” – December 27, 1912 In 1912, Miss Anna Weidman lived on Spruce Street in Lititz. On December 27, Anna received
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
The Railroad Station in Gettysburg – circa 1910 My laments about the tragic decline of railroad networks may be tiresome to readers. But, here is
A Butterfly to Walter in Vintage, PA – circa 1910 Sometime around 1910, Walter Denlinger received a postcard, perhaps in celebration of his birthday. Walter
“How Could I Suffer Love’s Alarms…” (circa 1910) For many years, I avoided postcards that appeared overly sentimental or “sappy”. I have seen hundreds of
“Great Games in York” – circa 1910 I believe that this is a comic card, picturing a card shark luring pedestrians to a rigged game.
The Cornwall Cousins – circa 1910 Wes Cornwall and William B. Cornwall were cousins. Sometime around 1910, they shared a visit, and celebrated their time
The Young Man in Sioux City, Iowa – circa 1915 An unknown young man, wearing a light-colored suit with a tie, sat for a photographic
Ezra Hartman of Reading – circa 1910 It never fails; soon after finding one photograph from a studio previously unknown to me, I find a
The Winter Clothes of Auntie Kate – circa 1910 Sometime around 1910, Auntie Kate sent a postcard photograph to her nieces, Carol and Esther. I
Rev. Summerfield – circa 1910 I have several postcard photographs of clergymen; most of them show the placid features of a calm and scholarly man.
Although snow fell during the night on parts of the east coast, I don’t believe there was sufficient accumulation to permit sleighing. It would be
Grandma Alger – circa 1910 There is a trace of a smile on the face of Grandma Alger as she sits with her children and
Salzburg, Austria – circa 1910 There are places in the world of such beauty that one hopes to visit again and again. One of these
St Germain l’Auxerrois in Paris -circa 1910 This postcard photograph, a night view taken more than a hundred years ago, is not the best way
Neuschwanstein Castle -circa 1910 The profile of this modern castle is recognized throughout the world and has become beloved, although the construction is a jumble
Suggestive comic postcards were common in the early years of the 20th century. Enterprising printers could order blank templates and add the name of the
Tellings stories from the past.