Tag: Postcards

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History Postcards writing Writing Prompt

Sold the Farm for Almost Nothing

Miss Annie Booker, 1909

Oct. 09

“Dear Friend Annie,

Received your letter long ago. Hope you and Nellie are well. Brother Tommy (?) lives in Columbus. Have just sold the farm for almost nothing. Do you hear from your sister Selena? Aunt Jane had a letter from her not long ago about her granddaughter’s death. My daughter Eva attends night school studying shorthand. With love to both yours in truth.

Your Friend Mary E. Lightly

Goodnight. God is Love.”

This particular letter is packed full of information and overall has (what I feel) a somber mood. Mary’s cramped writing, short sentences, and earnest tone draw me into this particular postcard. I wonder what the connection between Mary and Annie was, and if marriage separated the two friends.

Mary’s chosen postcard; a solitary boat moored on a windswept beach, further adds to the tone of the letter. It’s a beautiful postcard, textured in a way that photo doesn’t show. The boat and ridges of the waves are raised giving the entire postcard a tactile and satisfying feel.

Front of Postcard

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History Postcards Writing Prompt

Didn’t Get the Job They Promised

Miss Sophia Carlson, 1913

“Dear Sister,

I am back to working and it goes fine and dandy. I am feeling good and I hope you are the same. I didn’t get the job they promised me. Was away too (long?). This is alright for in the summer there is other (work?)

Bro John(?)”

This is one of my more tattered cards, and is frustrating because parts of the text are damaged, so I can only make an educated guess about what the author is saying. Like anything in history, context and audience matters. So although the overall message of the card seems optimistic, I have to wonder how much the sender muted his disappointment about the job he didn’t get. I hope the summer went better for him.

This card also has a post script on the front that, try as I might, I can’t quite make out. It seems to be playing with the “Iron Hub” motto. I think it says “She’s on the bum” or “she’s on the run”? What do you think?

“What’s the Matter with Iron Hub. She’s All Right.”

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History Postcards Writing Prompt

Glad to Get There

Mr. Burr R. Ruth, Date Unclear (I suspect early 1900’s)

“Dear Burr,

On our way home from Lincoln and very glad to get there.

M. K.”

I have to wonder wha happened in Lincoln that made M.K. drop a line to Burr. Was it a vacation gone awry? A work trip? Or perhaps just a longer journey. M.K. needed a vacation from the vacation.

South Omaha High School. Omaha, Nebraska

Personally, I think the front of this card is quite beautiful. I love the colors and the detail on the architecture. However, it’s strange (to the modern eye) to send a postcard of a high school. I suppose it’s no different than sending one of a college now days.

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History Postcards Writing Prompt

Hope You Have a Nice Trip Down

Mrs. Thorn(?) Porter, 1941

Dear Friends,

Re- your card saying you would be here after Thanksgiving. Will be so pleased to see you and hope you have a nice trip down.

Love,

Dr. & Mrs. Kounce

A theme I’ve seen over and over in these postcards are lines dropped letting a person know they are coming for a visit. Phones existed, but considering they were still a bit of an extravagance a postcard seems like a quick and easy method of communication.

Another note is that this was sent in November of 1941. Pearl Harbor was just around the corner. This was the last Thanksgiving before America officially entered World War II.

Front of Postcard. Natural Bridge, Virginia.

Interestingly, I have a few of these Natural Bridge postcards. It must have been a widely accessible or popular set. I’m a story collector, not a postcard collector. So if anyone knows more about this particular postcard, I’d love to hear.

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History Postcards writing

By Any Means

Miss Mabel Huss (or perhaps Husr?) 1909

Not forgetting by any means.

(unclear) me

S.E.P.

This particular postcard has an interesting postscript, on the front of the postcard it states “The original Garden of Eden. Just here is (unclear) #2”

I love this postcard because there’s so much unknown context from which we can create our own stories. Based on the “miss” Mabel was unmarried, so is this a postcard from a lover, a friend? Is there an inside joke that caused the means to be underlined? Whomever it was also wrote in an emerald ink which I think is entirely fun and whimsical. It’s a beautiful postcard with a timeless sentiment.

I’d also love to know what you think the second to last word is. Seems to start with a “c”, but could be an “i” or even an uncrossed “t”.

Front of postcard “Garden of Eden, Seattle”

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History Postcards writing

Nice Trip, But Tiresome

Bernard Hassler, 1909

Friend Bernard,

Am in Seattle today Saturday, will write in a day or two, nice trip but tiresome.

Will

Love that he was addressed as “Friend Bernard.” 27 Woodward Avenue still exists in San Francisco. It was built in 1907 and is exactly as you’d think it would look.

Front of postcard

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History Postcards writing

Seattle Day was a Hummer

Warren Bullard, 1909

Seattle 9/10/09

Warren,

I am still taking in the sights and am not half through. Seattle day was a hummer. There was 117,013 tickets sold this racket on the “Pay Streak” was fine, they kept going all night.

I suppose you are busy fishing by this time. Who is running the the lower ground this year.

(615-12th ave N.)

J.A.M

I was curious about the tickets and the “pay streak.” After a (very) little bit of research, our friend J.A.M seems to have been enjoying the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific exposition in Seattle, also considered Seattle’s first World’s Fair (as indicated on the post). The “pay streak” was a row of attractions that seemed to change over time and cost 25c – 50c per attraction.

Like any fair, many of the attractions offered were marketed toward curiosity seekers and were therefore dubious in nature even for the time. For example, a one month old orphan was auctioned off (wut?), and premature babies in incubators were next to machines that could slice a salmon in half. A reminder that just because technology progresses, humans don’t necessarily follow.

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History Postcards writing

Get a Kick Out of It

Mr. A.D. Keese, Date Unknown

Dear Aunt and Uncle;

Glad to get your card. I will write just as soon as I get time. I really like my job. I really get a kick oiut of it. I went home this last week in. Saw all of the family but Lee and they are all well. I will close. Write to me soon.

Love,

Lois

Have you heard from Grandma?

This is one of the few postcards I have where the words are typed directly onto the postcard. I think this is interesting, because it would have involved some nifty formatting, as well as access to a typewriter. I hope Lois eventually heard from her Grandma.

Front of Postcard

Categories
History Postcards

I Am All Excitement

Mrs. W. Beals, date unclear (I suspect 1900-1920)

I suppose you are home and “hard at it” as I have been. I am on the verge of getting some new bed room furniture so I am all excitement. I will write you a letter sometime soon. Hope you and Dorothy were greatly [unclear]. All wish to [unclear]

(flipped on edge) Write me a letter and tell me about your stay at the beach.”

— Etta J

What I love about this particular postcard is the way the writer (Etta) seems to speak breathlessly on the page. The words practically tumble across the paper, and she’s even flipped the page for a postscript which is not so much a request, but a demand for information about the beach. I have to imagine these are friends or sisters or even cousins pulled apart by marriage.

Lynchburg to Bluefield W.VA is 115 miles.

Front of Postcard. Randolph Macon Women’s College

Categories
History Postcards

Expect to Thresh This Week

Miss Annie Stephens, 1909

October 11, 1909

Dear Annie,

Just tried you again Saturday and was always glad to hear from you. We are all well and hope you are well and enjoying yourself. We are having lovely weather now and every body busy. We expect to thresh this week. We were up Lincoln Creek yesterday. Clyde is feeling tired. Cant say much on a card. So…(unreadable)

— Lulu (or perhaps Lula).

Front of Postcard. Shows Rainier National Park