Miss Dorothy Termansen, 1910. Sender Unknown
Hello Chimmie,
We got here safe and sound. Having a fine time. I wish you was here we would have all the more fun ain’t it. We are going on this rock today. It is 100ft high. Fine scenery out here along Rock River. Well bye by kid. Write P.D.Q.
1910 had already been a lion of a year by the time October arrived. In July, race riots broke out all across the nation after African American boxer Jack Johnson defeated James Jefferies in a heavyweight boxing match. In August, a wildfire devastated large swaths of the Pacific Northwest, and on October 1, the LA Times was bombed. A tragedy that resulted in 21 deaths and multiple more injuries.
Although we know that this postcard was sent to Minnesota, what’s less clear is where it was sent from. The ink on the postmark is either worn down, or was never there in the first place. So it’s hard to tell how much the events of the nation impacted both our sender, and the recipient. Though, there is a spot in Minnesota called “Palisade Head” which looks similar to the photograph on the front of the card. But, Rock River flows out of Wisconsin, so maybe they are there? Hard to know. I’d love to hear any information any of you might have.
Though we don’t know the place, I’d wager a tidy sum of money that the sender and Dorothy were children. Maybe siblings or cousins or friends from school. If this is the case, they would have likely existed in the sort of bliss that stems from being protected and somewhat oblivious to the events of the surrounding world. Especially since our sender seems to be on a vacation.
This postcard speaks oodles to me, especially because of how familiar the sender seems to be with Dorothy. From the pet name “Chimmie” to the gentle urging to write “P.D.Q” (or pretty darn quick). The card reads more like a note my students might write to each other complete with it’s own lingo and poor grammar. “I wish you was here, we would have all the more fun ain’t it” tells you this card was not meant for adults. It was a gesture of friendship and love from one friend to another.
As for Dorothy, I had a bit of a difficult time finding her. I found a few Termansen’s, but none that would fit our Dorothy. I’m fairly certain I have the last name correct and although the sender sounded Dorothy’s name phonetically (Dorathy), I’m also pretty sure it’s actually “Dorothy”. Though it is possible that was a middle name. Well. That’s the way it goes sometimes.
Overall, this postcard is a fantastic peek into the everyday lives of children living in a changing world.
Hipstory 