An archive of over 1,100 early 20th-century postcards from one family. One new postcard every day.
Back — Dear Pearle:- Rec’d your po- stal today, thought I would write while I had time, hope you had a good time in H. Two of my cousins are here, ~~also Miss Motley~~ ~~of Carthage, she~~ ~~is one of the girls~~ ~~sister met while in Carthage~~, is going to be
Back — Rec’d your card, many thanks for same. how does the wea- ther strike you – to hot here for me. suppose you enjoy the sunny days latly. the writer. Bess.
Back — Friend Pearle:- Rec’d your letter and card O. K. would of ans sooner but am harvesting now and as busy I can [illegible] [illegible] Did you enjoy yourself when H. B. and E. H. were there, wish I could of been there but could not [continued on top margin:] V. H. [?] H. B. or Eva have not gone yet still is going for social.
Back — ] W. J. Howell Lomax Ill Hello Pearl. How is everybody? I was over to Burlington the 4th but had a dandy time. say if you are over to La Harpe this Fall come over and see us. I should say so. I look for you to come over sure this Fall & see us. hope to see you soon. A good many of the Lomax folks are down in Okla. ] W. K. D.
Back — ] Here is one of the cards I told you about for the evening of the 31 of Oct. wishing you many Happy Returns, — M. S. W. C. ] m. s. w. c.
Back — Seeing lots of old friends at Homecoming going to Picnic to morrow then back to Chicago. Had a big storm here last night. love from Grandma
The Carthage Jail was built in 1839 and became, on June 27, 1844, the site of the murder of Joseph Smith, founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his brother Hyrum. A mob stormed the jail, where Smith was being held on charges of treason, and shot both men. The LDS Church acquired the building in 1903 and has operated it as a historic site ever since. Grandma sent this hand-colored postcard during Homecoming in August 1938, saw lots of old friends, and mentioned a big storm the night before. The jail she photographed or purchased a card of had been standing for nearly a century and had housed the most consequential prisoner in American religious history.
Back — Jean
The stone circular colonnade — a monopteros — at Rand Park in Keokuk is visible from some distance on the bluffs above the Mississippi. Rand Park was named for a Keokuk family whose philanthropic gifts developed the grounds in the late 19th century. The park’s elevated position made it a natural viewpoint: on a clear day, the river curves toward the Illinois shore and the distant bluffs of Missouri are visible to the southwest. Jean, writing in 1909, sent this card signed just with her name.
Back — Hello Pearl Received you card and thought I would ans. it. I went to the Ball game Sunday and had a fine time I had crowd of four of folkes here Sunday night and had a fine time and wish you was here to [?] as ever Caroline [illegible] ] Caroline.
The Lee County Courthouse in Fort Madison stands on a prominent corner downtown, its white columns visible for some distance along the approaches from the river. Fort Madison sits on a sharp bend of the Mississippi, and the view from the courthouse steps takes in a wide sweep of water. Caroline, writing from Fort Madison in autumn, doesn’t mention the courthouse — she’s writing about a ball game and promising to answer Pearl’s card. The building is background, not subject.
Front — ] A.E.T.
Back — ] Dear Pearl: Could not find any card of the telephone office but will send you one when they get some more in. Everything perfectly lovely here. how is [crossed out] is sister? Write sooner. Alley.
Back — 1949 Fri – It has been raining most of the time so we have not done much painting but they sure had had much rain be- fore we came – Luella & Ray.
Front — Dove.
The Government Building on Maine Street in Quincy — serving as both post office and federal courthouse — was completed in 1888 and represented one of the most substantial federal investments in the region. Quincy’s position on the Mississippi River had made it an important commercial center since the 1840s, but by 1907 the railroads had long since reorganized traffic patterns and the city’s relative importance had begun to decline.
Back — M W
