Sent From: Colorado - When My Tan Wears Out

Postcard #0039: Trip to the Colorado Mountains and Electric Business Internship

Vintage postcard showing a hand-colored image of the Toltec Gorge in Colorado, with a river flowing through large boulders, snow-covered banks, and steep rocky cliffs under a golden, orange-hued sky, with scattered evergreen trees. — Front — A vibrant, hand-colored view of the Toltec Gorge in Colorado, with a river flowing through snow-dusted rocks and steep, pine-covered cliffs under a golden sky.

Postcard Metadata

Postmarked: S.A. Denver, Colo. — June 25, 1908
Sent From: Denver, Colorado
Sent To: Miss Pearl Byers, Carthage, Ill.
Distance Traveled: Approximately 715 miles
Postage: U.S. POSTAGE ONE CENT (Green George Washington stamp)
Card Details: Divided Back postcard, Litho-Chrome by Leipzig, Berlin, published by The Colorado News Company, Denver, Colo.

The back of a 1908 postcard with a green one-cent George Washington stamp postmarked — Back — Correspondence from D.S.W. to Pearl Byers

Transcription

June. 25.08 Miss Byers. Just returned from trips to mountains and was pleased to find card awaiting me, From july 1st I will have intern in the electric business in San Marciali. weather down here is too warm, & it is very dry for this time of year your friend D.S.W.

Historical & Family Notes

This postcard, sent to Pearl Byers in 1908, offers a glimpse into a potential early admirer or friend, D.S.W., before her eventual marriage to Harvey Sights. The sender shares news of recent mountain excursions and an upcoming “intern” position in the “electric business in San Marciali,” likely referring to San Marcial, New Mexico, a significant railroad town known for its engineering activities. The mention of the weather being “too warm” and “very dry” for the time of year provides a vivid, if brief, snapshot of the conditions in the American Southwest over a century ago.

While the sender is not explicitly Harvey Sights, this card is part of a collection leading to Pearl and Harvey’s story. It’s plausible that this correspondence represents a friendship Pearl maintained, or perhaps even an early professional contact for Harvey, who was known for his engineering work and travels. The timing predates much of the known extensive correspondence between Pearl and Harvey, suggesting a period when Pearl was cultivating various relationships.

The card’s front, depicting the dramatic Toltec Gorge, captures the adventurous spirit of the sender’s mountain trips. This kind of scenic postcard was very popular during the Divided Back era, allowing for both a picture and a personal message to be shared across vast distances, connecting people like D.S.W. and Pearl Byers, even as their lives unfolded in different regions of the country.

Postcard #010: Bear Creek and a Playful Colorado Inquiry

A vintage, hand-colored postcard depicting a serene sunset over Bear Creek at Mount Morrison, Colorado, with water flowing over rocks surrounded by dense green trees and distant hills under a vibrant orange and green sky. — Front — A hand-colored scenic view of Bear Creek flowing through a mountainous landscape at sunset in Mt. Morrison, Colorado.

Postcard Metadata

Postmarked: Denver, Colo. — August 1, 1919
Sent From: Denver, Colorado
Sent To: Miss Pearl Byers Carthage Ill.
Distance Traveled: ~880 miles
Postage: One Cent George Washington U.S. Postage stamp
Card Details: Divided Back Era (1907-present), Published by Great Western Post Card and Novelty Co., Denver, Colo.

The reverse side of a postcard with a handwritten message in black ink from Harvey Sights to Miss Pearl Byers, featuring a one-cent George Washington stamp, a Denver, Colorado postmark dated August 1, 1919, and the card publisher's details. — Back — Correspondence from Harvey Sights to Miss Pearl Byers

Transcription

Remember the 1st time I said these words to Pearl? Here goes. Cola interested? Well, I guess so! – $ 7/27/19 H.S.S.

Historical & Family Notes

This postcard captures an early moment of playful flirtation between Harvey Sights and Pearl Byers. Harvey is likely in Colorado, sending this scenic view of Bear Creek, Mt. Morrison. His message, “Cola interested? Well, I guess so!”, cleverly abbreviates “Colorado” and implies an ongoing inside joke or conversation they’ve had about the state, or perhaps about him visiting. The phrase “Remember the 1st time I said these words to Pearl?” further solidifies the intimacy of their burgeoning relationship, hinting at a shared memory or a significant romantic declaration.

Sent just before their eventual marriage, this postcard serves as a sweet testament to the lighthearted yet meaningful communication that characterized their courtship. Harvey’s hopeful response to his own question, “Well, I guess so!”, suggests his deep desire for Pearl to share in his interests or to join him on his adventures. This early exchange paints a vivid picture of the personal bond that would soon lead to their lifelong partnership and the foundation of their family.

The date “$ 7/27/19” written above his initials “H.S.S.” indicates he wrote the card a few days before it was postmarked, a common practice when traveling, giving us a precise timeline of his thoughts leading up to its dispatch.