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
The custom of sending a family picture to friends at Christmas is an old one. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_card In 1916, Mrs Watts (?) received a postcard photograph
Mr. Ralph Boyer lived in Pottstown, the old settlement on the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County of southeast Pennsylvania. In the Colonial era, Pottstown had
In the early twentieth century, Reading was a busy and prosperous city in Pennsylvania. The Reading Railroad carried raw materials to the city and transported
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
Mr. Lewis Spencer lived in Seymour, a town on the Naugatuck River in New Haven County of southwest Connecticut. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour,_Connecticut In July of 1907, Lewis
Tom was devoted to Miss Mayme Pulcher. Almost every day, Tom mailed a postcard to Mayme. (An antique dealer has about a hundred examples of
Miss Ashby lived in Redlands, a city in the San Bernardino Valley of southern California. Redlands was developed as a center of the citrus industry
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
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
Miss Bessie Duglass (also, Douglas) lived in Anselma, a populated place in Chester County of southeast Pennsylvania. Anselma was an early European settlement and retains
Mrs. Carroll Wilhelm lived in Westfield, a town of Union County in northeast New Jersey. Westfield is about 16 miles southwest of Manhattan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westfield,_New_Jersey In
Broad Ripple is an area of the White River near Indianapolis. At the turn of the twentieth century, an amusement park, large bathing pool, and
Mrs. Clarence Beck lived in Easton, the city that Thomas Penn established at the confluence of the Lehigh River and the Delaware River in east-central
Miss Katherine Quinn lived in Chicago. In March of 1912, Katherine received a postcard from her friend, Mayme. Mayme was making an extended trip. The
Mr. Everett J. Daniels was at home in Danvers, Massachusetts. Danvers is a town on the Danvers River near the northeastern coast of Massachusetts. The
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
Miss Selma Johnson lived in Ridgway, a borough of Elk County in northwest Pennsylvania. In the early twentieth century, Ridgway was an important center of
Annie and Alfred were traveling; they left home at 2:30 AM and arrived in Monongahela City at 12:45. Monongahela City is the second-smallest city in
Some months ago, we looked at a postcard photograph of the Buck Hill Inn- a lovely resort that once attracted thousands of visitors to the
Ruth V. Hays was traveling through the West and she “fell in love with this country”. After spending four days in Glacier Park, Ruth was
Wilson Potts lived on the very busy 14th Street in Manhattan. (This is still a major thoroughfare across the island.) In November of 1907, Wilson
Mr. Leon Wickersham lived in West Chester, the lovely college town of Chester County in southeast Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Chester,_Pennsylvania In December of 1939, Leon received a
Mrs. Fred Boryer lived in Reno, the city in the Truckee River Valley in northwest Nevada. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reno,_Nevada Fred, Mrs. Broyer’s husband, husband seems to have
Rudyard Kipling, the Anglo-Indian writer, essayist, poet and journalist, was one of the leading literary figures in the late 19th century. Kipling was awarded the
Mr. Jesse Stambel lived in Sharpsburg, an unincorporated community in Athens County of southeast Ohio. This is a rural area, close to Gifford State Forest.
Miss Cynthia Morse lived in Oswego, a city on Lake Ontario – about 35 miles northwest of Syracuse, NY. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oswego,_New_York In August of 1909, Cynthia
Mrs. S. J. Whybrew lived in North Crandon, Wisconsin. North Crandon, and the small city of Crandon, are located in northeast Wisconsin. The area remains
Miss Frieda Rohrig lived in Mauch Chunk, a borough on the Lehigh River in east central Pennsylvania. Mauch Chunk (the name is derived from indigenous
Miss Nell Hunnicutt lived in Athens, the beautiful college town northeast of Atlanta. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athens,_Georgia In June of 1910, Nell received a postcard from her friend,
Master Ellis Pierce lived in Walton, a charming village and town on the West Branch of the Delaware River in southern New York State. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walton_(town),_New_York
The Spanish-American War does not loom large in American consciousness today, but it represented an enormous shift in American identity. Many discussions of the conflict
The Beecher family, the formidable dynasty of literary and ecclesiastical achievement, was formed in New England and flourished throughout the 19th century in Boston, Hartford,
There are many mysteries attached to this postcard which contains an affectionate message from Papa who is in Germany. Miss Elizabeth White Clark was living
Miss Mayme Pulcher lived in Grand Rapids, Michigan. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Rapids,_Michigan Mayme had a devoted suitor, Tom, who traveled through the upper Midwest for his business. Every
Miss Hortense Myers lived in Knapp, Wisconsin. Knapp, a village in west-central Wisconsin, was once part of a flourishing lumber industry. (Today, Knapp has almost
In August of 1910, Brick was in Cleveland, Ohio. On one afternoon, two remarkable things occurred. Brick witnessed aviation pioneer Glen Curtiss take off on
Blossom lived in Daggett, a village near the southeast border of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. (The village was named for Elmira Daggett, the first Postmistress!) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daggett,_Michigan
Miss Ethyl Cox lived in Golden, Illinois – a village near the Mississippi River, at the westernmost part of the State (where Illinois “bulges” into
In an earlier postcard story, we saw a postcard photograph of the Whitefish Bay Resort on Lake Michigan. The resort was developed by the brewing
In 1911, Miss Emma Hankel lived in Galion, Ohio, a small city midway between Columbus (to the south) and Lake Erie (to the north) in
Daniel Boone was born in 1733, one year after the birth of George Washington. (Often confused with Davy Crockett- who lived a more than generation
Sometime around 1920, Harry and Sally were on a trip to western Pennsylvania. In June, they mailed a postcard to Miss Ella Blankenbiller in West
Mrs. J. C. Waldren lived in Hamilton, a village within a town, in central New York State. The village is the home of Colgate University,
Miss Gertrude Sadler lived in Brunswick, the historic city on the Androscoggin River in southeast Maine. The small city was a flourishing center of the
Whitefish Bay was a German-American enclave near Milwaukee, in southeast Wisconsin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitefish_Bay,_Wisconsin In 1898, the brewing magnate, Frederick Pabst, developed a resort on the shore
Although the face of the postcard shows a scene of courtship, I believe that this postcard was exchanged between friends, perhaps schoolmates. The postcard is
As frightening as our recent experience of a world-wide viral pandemic, the experience of all respiratory disease outbreaks in the years before antibiotics was equally
On August 8, 1907, Miss Magdalena Herr of East Petersburg received a postcard from her friend, Minerva, in Elizabethtown. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Petersburg,_Pennsylvania The face of the postcard
Camden is a village in southwest Ohio. The community was laid out in 1818 and had two other names before becoming “Camden” in 1835. In
In February of 1922, Henry and Addie visited California. They stayed with Mr. Taylor, and Mr. Taylor’s son and his wife, at the Taylor home
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
There was a time when the booming city of Reading boasted several great department stores. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading,_Pennsylvania In 1877, Calvin K. Whitner opened a dry goods
In addition to climbing the Reading Pagoda, a visit to the Reading Museum was part of my elementary school education. Even as a child, I
The Free & Accepted Masons are an international fraternal and benevolent society. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry In 1910, the Pennsylvania chapters undertook to secure the welfare of members
Kay was vacationing in Bermuda, a visit she had made at least once before. (I have another postcard mailed by Kay from Hamilton, Bermuda in
In the summer of 1906, Miss Fannie Clevenger was In Philadelphia. There, she received a postcard greeting from her friend, Ell, who had visited Pompeii
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
The Stevens House was a landmark tavern, hotel, and dining establishment on the first paved roads running through the city of Lancaster, PA. When the
Miss Louisa C. Hart lived in Harbourton, an historic community in west-central New Jersey. (The entire community was added to the National Register of Historic
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
Miss Mary Oren lived in Newport, a town that grew up near a ferry on the Juniata River and became “Newport” when the Pennsylvania Canal
The threat of fires hung heavily on cities throughout the early twentieth century. Investment in fire-fighting equipment and in a force of fire-fighters was a
I love finding postcards with written messages, especially if there is an interesting story therein. (Most postcard collectors prize un-mailed cards in pristine condition, while
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,
Before the proliferation of hotel chains, finding agreeable public accommodations could be unpredictable for travelers who were wary of public drinking. Many public houses and
The Singer Building, home of the world’s largest manufacturer of sewing machines, was the world’s tallest building for a brief period of 1908-1909. Located in
In 1926, the city of Philadelphia hosted the sesquicentennial celebration of Independence (150 years). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesquicentennial_Exposition For this celebration, the US Department of the Interior, (which
Miss Dorie Russell lived in Sugar Grove, a borough in Warren County of northwest Pennsylvania. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_Grove,_Pennsylvania In May of 1907, Miss Russell received a comic
In July of 1926, Ruth was in Buffalo – the great manufacturing center and port city on Lake Erie. Ruth had “a lovely trip”, but
In the summer of 1914, May was in San Francisco. She sent a postcard to Miss Marie Hoffman in Santa Cruz – the city about
On January 4, 1912, Ed sent a postcard from Elizabethtown to Miss Annie Moyer at 633 West Chestnut Street in Lancaster. The postcard bears an
In February of 1929, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Fahnestock were wintering in Sebring, Florida. Friends of the Fahnestocks, Elam and Naomi, remained in Ephrata. During
In northwest Lancaster County, a thirsty visitor could (through the mid-twentieth century) take a draft from a cold-water spring. Near the historic Donegal Presbyterian Church
I admit that, in architecture, I am an anti-modernist reactionary. Yes, I acknowledge that “form follows function”, that these ornate buildings cannot accommodate equipment for
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
There are six statues of Abraham Lincoln in Chicago, representing the enormous pride that the city expressed for the great man who built his political
The celebration of the tricentennial of the Pilgrim’s arrival in Massachusetts included the erection of a statue to Massasoit, great “Sachem of the Wampanoags”. The
Abraham Lincoln grew up as the son of a poor, subsistence farmer. Kentucky had no reason to claim him before his extraordinary political career and
Mr. Frank Zinkie lived in Aurora, a city in northeast Illinois, now within the Chicago Metropolitan District. In August of 1912, Frank received a postcard
In December of 1920, Frances was teaching school or attending school in Otego. Otega is a town in Otsego County, in central New York State.
In the early years of the twentieth century, Ansonia was an industrial powerhouse on the Naugatuck River – 12 miles northwest of New Haven. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ansonia,_Connecticut
In 1775, John Andrew Shulze was born in the parsonage of the Lutheran Church near Stouchsburg, a Pennsylvania-German community of Berks County (now, Lebanon County)
Howard Krueger lived in Ripon, the city in south-east Wisconsin. In September of 1936, Howard received a postcard from close friends or family members who
Taunton was founded in 1637 by settlers from the Plymouth Colony; it is one of the oldest towns in the US. On land along the
One of the glories of Pennsylvania is its history of offering refuge and sanctuary to religious nonconformists, dissenters, and visionaries of many kinds. Among the
Old Point Comfort is the extreme tip of the small peninsula that is the eastern extremity of Virginia. It was named for an incident involving
Maude and Will spent “part of our Xmas” with friends outdoors; the group seems to be bathing or swimming. The occasion was memorialized with a
Florence Rumsey was the “school-ma’am” for a school in Minnesota. (I cannot decipher the postmark.) In January of 1912, she sent a postcard to Mr.
Mrs. G. I. Robinson lived in Marion, a city in east central Iowa. In February of 1909, Mrs. Robinson received a postcard from “Guess Who”
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
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.
In September of 1906, Aunt Sallie and “Chick” (?) were in Philadelphia “having a good time”. To celebrate the occasion, Aunt Sallie had a postcard
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
John C. Bridgman was traveling through the West; he selected a postcard scene of the Colorado Rockies, wrote a message in Billings, Montana, and mailed
North of the city of Reading, near the Berks County towns of Hamburg and Lenhartsville, is an amazing geological formation. I learned about this place
In 1932, Esther Groff traveled from Pennsylvania to her aunt’s home in Upland, California. On July 12, Esther sent a postcard to her friend, Mrs.
One is accustomed to seeing images of buffalo (or bison) across the Great Plains of the United States; we may forget how widely these large
This comic postcard was copyrighted in 1905 and published by J. Murray Jordan of Philadelphia. We met the publisher and the same three figures (photograph
For Veteran’s Day, a reminder of the citizens who resisted the depredations of a hostile army. On the placid green expanse of the Commons in
Gertrude Duff lived in Jersey City, a city on the Hudson River (west of New York City) in northeastern New Jersey. Gertrude exchanged postcards with
“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
In February of 1905(?), Bessie Hill (Hile?) was in Orillia, Washington. Bessie sent a postcard to her friend, Josephine Resch, in Marietta, PA. The postcard,
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
It is very unfortunate that the two winsome children, whom I assume are a brother and sister, are not named. The picture appears to have
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
Mrs. S. Bell lived in New Castle, Ohio, an unincorporated community in eastern Ohio. New Castle is close to the Ohio River and the border
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
This postcard photo was taken at an unknown location on a specific date, May 9, 1925. A thoughtful person recorded the names of “Alma +
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
“A normal school is an institution created to train high school graduates to be teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum.,,”(Wiki)
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
This postcard languished in a box of 25-cent cards until I found it at a postcard exhibition. It is interesting in two ways: the photograph
The extent of the Lancaster stockyards was apparent to anyone who traveled to Lancaster by train from Philadelphia through the 1970’s. As the train slowed
We met Bernice Blue in an earlier postcard story, in which an admirer sent a postcard illustration entitled, “Maiden Meditation”. Bernice lived in White Pigeon,
My first understanding of the impact of Coney Island on the imagination of New York City residents came from reading the short stories of O.
This postcard photograph was not mailed. I was glad to see the legible names inscribed on the reverse, but there is no indication of the
Lewis Mansfield was born in the early years of the 20th century and lived near Fayette City, PA. Fayette City, at that time, was a
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
Jane Cushing was on a camping trip to the mountains. While in Torrington, Wyoming, Jane sent a postcard to Mrs. Sherman Scofield in Denver. (Torrington
Miss Edna Bender lived in Wyoming, a small city in east-central Iowa, not far from Cedar Rapids. Sometime around 1911 (the postmark is badly-applied), Edna
J. Murray Jordan was a prolific photographer and publisher in Philadelphia. Murray’s work included a wide range of subjects – from the comic and frivolous
The legacy of slavery continues to trouble our nation. Many institutions have struggled to find an appropriate response to historical wrongs. (This is not a
On October 4, 1906, cannons were fired in York, Pa for the “President’s Salute”. An Internet search reveals that President Theodore Roosevelt visited the city
Charles Hood was born in Vermont in 1845, where he grew up to work in his father’s apothecary shop. In early adulthood, Charles Hood moved
This photograph does not identify the plump little girl with bright eyes. The girl is sitting before a wall of tongue-and-groove molding, and she is
There are several websites devoted to the photography studio of Gerlach which operated on South Washington Street in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Gerlach Studio made thousands
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Maass were celebrating 25 years of marriage. In honor of the event, family members gathered at their home in Gaylord, Minnesota.
Sometime around 1915, three children named “Barnes” were carefully arranged for a photographic portrait. The three – Dean, Ralph, and Gladys – are all smiling
In September of 1912, Rebecca visited New York City. As she prepared to leave for home, Rebecca mailed a postcard to her friend, Florence Ashton,
Mr. George W. Johnson lived in Red Bank, a borough on the Navesink River in northern New Jersey. This area was settled by Dutch and
Miss Evelyn Richardson lived in Fawn Grove, a borough in southern York County, on the Mason-Dixon Line. (I was unfamiliar with this place name and
The Susquehanna River forms the western border of Lancaster County, PA. The river-front community of Pequea grew up where the Pequea Creek empties into the
It is not hard to find early postcard photographs of the boulevard that winds up the side of Mount Penn in Reading, Pennsylvania. This is
In August of 1910, Ruth was in Woodbine where she was very busy- making hay, visiting the Wild West Show, finding elderberries, getting red feather
I love the Ephrata Cloister – the preserved buildings, the museum, the grounds, and the sacred history of the place. “The Cloister” was established in
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
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
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
In 1772, a dam was first built on the west branch of the Codorus Creek near York, PA Dams were one of the first “infrastructure”
Very early in the history of motion pictures, film stars captured the interest and enthusiastic embrace of the public. “Celebrity culture” around movies assumed a
The city of Reading established a school for boys in 1852. In 1857, girls were admitted to the school. This is almost fifty years before
In 1898, Samuel Grumbacher (and son, Max) opened a one-room millinery store on Market Street in York. The store eventually filled a handsome building on
Here is an hand-colored, postcard photograph of Marietta Avenue, still a lovely drive westward from the city of Lancaster. The postcard was postmarked in Lancaster
Accustomed as we are to all manner of flying airships, it may be hard to imagine the mania that gripped the country with the appearance
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
Mr. B. F. Hartman lived in Waynesboro, a borough of Franklin County in south central Pennsylvania. The borough lies in the Cumberland Valley, only two
This postcard photograph was not mailed, and it lacks any identification of the two boys. I assume that the two are brothers or otherwise related
This postcard photograph was not mailed, so we cannot determine the location of this mother and her children. Sometime around 1910, a photograph was taken
Walhonding is a crossroads near the geographic center of Ohio. A small community had grown up there when the Walhonding Canal (a short feeder to
This postcard photograph was not mailed, but a message is inscribed on the reverse. The postcard may have been enclosed with a letter. Florence Lombard
Wilmington is a small town (with a wonderful historic district) in the Deerfield Valley among the Green Mountains of south-central Vermont. In the winter, this
The Wylie Camping Company was the first (and the longest-lasting) enterprise that accommodated tourists in rustic camps within Yellowstone Park. Mr. V. L. Berryman was
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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 1901 assassination of William McKinley at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo, NY shocked the nation. This was a time of optimism in American
Miss Annie Evans lived in Scranton, the booming industrial city in northeast Pennsylvania. (We looked recently at another postcard related to Scranton – the “Electric
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
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 (age 13) and her sister, Cecile, (age 6) lived in Clinton, Iowa. Clinton is a city on the Mississippi River in east central Iowa.
In this postcard photograph, the men are seated, the woman stand behind – a traditional pose in photographs of the early twentieth century. These two
Tellings stories from the past.