dallas-city - When My Tan Wears Out

1900s, Buildings & Architecture, City & Street Scenes, General Correspondence, Golden Age, Nature & Landscapes, Parks & Nature, Sent From: Illinois, Sent To: Carthage, IL, Sights Collection, Subject: Illinois

Postcard #1101: panoramic view of Dallas City, Dallas City, IL — V.H to Pearl, July 1909

September 5, 2026 No Comments

Front of postcard #1101: Black and white photograph showing a panoramic view of Dallas City, Illinois, from an elevated position on a hill. In th

Transcription

Back — Have a good time for me too. ] Do not depend on me to be in B—— as cir-cumstances may not permit but will let you know if ( I can come ) Arrived in Dallas 10,30 but did not get home until 11 o’clock, it is still very damp here I guess I will not come to B. today am so sleepy V.H.

Postcard Information

Postmark: DALLAS CITY, ILL., JUL 6 1909
Sent To: Carthage IL
Era: Golden Age (1907–1915)
Stamp: 1¢
Distance Traveled: ~15 miles

About This Card

This panoramic view of Dallas City, Illinois from an elevated position shows the full extent of the town along the Mississippi — its relationship to the river, the flat bottomland, and the bluffs that rise behind it. V.H. sent this card from Dallas City. The cluster of Dallas City real photo postcards in the collection (cards 1095–1101) represents an unusual level of documentary coverage for a single small town — someone in Dallas City, or visiting it, was systematically photographing and distributing images of the community.

1900s, Buildings & Architecture, City & Street Scenes, General Correspondence, Golden Age, Nature & Landscapes, Parks & Nature, Sent From: Illinois, Sent To: Carthage, IL, Sights Collection, Subject: Illinois, Transportation

Postcard #1100: DALLAS., Dallas City, IL — July 1909

August 30, 2026 No Comments

Front of postcard #1100: Sepia-toned bird's eye view photograph of Dallas City, Illinois. A steam locomotive pulling several passenger cars moves

Transcription

Back — ] I was going to be gone? suppose [illegible] will let you know when I should be ready if I should decide. Dear Friend, — Was talking to W.B. today she said for me to let you know. If you can be at boat landing Sun. it may be I will be there that is if I am at home. ] Don’t depend on me to much, as I can not say yet, but I will do all I can to be there but if I should not I will give a good explanation later on.

Postcard Information

Postmark: DALLAS CITY, ILL., JUL 9 1909
Sent To: Carthage IL
Era: Golden Age (1907–1915)
Publisher: C. U. WILLIAMS, Bloomington, ILL.
Stamp: 1¢
Distance Traveled: ~15 miles
Notes: Message written on front instead of back, message written over header text on back.

About This Card

This bird’s-eye view of Dallas City shows a steam locomotive pulling freight cars through the town, with the Mississippi River visible in the background and the town’s commercial district in the foreground. Dallas City had a small depot on the CB&Q line — Harvey’s railroad — and the presence of a locomotive pulling through the frame suggests the card was made from a point above the tracks. The combination of the river, the railroad, and the town grid captures exactly the infrastructure of a Mississippi valley community that Pearl and Harvey both knew.

1900s, City & Street Scenes, General Correspondence, Golden Age, Nature & Landscapes, Parks & Nature, Parks & Recreation, Religious Buildings, Sent From: Illinois, Sent To: Carthage, IL, Sights Collection, Subject: Illinois, Transportation

Postcard #1099: Dallas City, IL — H. S. S to Pearl, July 1909

August 29, 2026 No Comments

Front of postcard #1099: A sepia-toned real photo postcard showing an elevated bird's eye view of Dallas City, Illinois. The scene includes house

Transcription

Back — Rec’d your card was glad to hear from you again – you stayed up longer than you intended to did you not was you mad at me for doing the way I did, but really I could not help it. H. S. S.

Postcard Information

Postmark: DALLAS CITY, ILL., JUL 13 1909
Sent To: Carthage IL
Era: Golden Age (1907–1915)
Publisher: C. U. WILLIAMS, BLOOMINGTON, ILL.
Stamp: 1¢
Distance Traveled: ~15 miles

About This Card

This bird’s-eye view of Dallas City, Illinois was sent by H.S.S. — initials that match Harvey Sarchet Sights. If this is Harvey, he was standing on a high point above the river town, looking down at its orderly grid of streets and the Mississippi beyond, and sending a card home. Dallas City is in Hancock County, the same county as Carthage and La Harpe; Harvey would have known the town well. The combination of H.S.S. initials and Hancock County geography makes a strong circumstantial case for Harvey as sender.

1900s, Buildings & Architecture, City & Street Scenes, General Correspondence, Golden Age, Sent From: Illinois, Sent To: Carthage, IL, Sights Collection, Subject: Illinois, Transportation

Postcard #1096: L.O. MYERS, Dallas City, IL — H to Pearl, June 1909

August 16, 2026 No Comments

Front of postcard #1096: A real photo postcard showing a street view of Oak Street in Dallas City, Illinois. Brick buildings line both sides of t

Transcription

Back — Dallas Ills. 22-09 Dear friend. As I promised, I will send you a view of Dallas. As Ever yours, H.

Postcard Information

Postmark: DALLAS CITY, ILL., JUN 22 1909
Sent To: Carthage IL
Era: Golden Age (1907–1915)
Stamp: 1¢
Distance Traveled: ~15 miles

About This Card

Oak Street in Dallas City, Illinois shows the commercial core of a small river town — brick storefronts, wooden awnings, a quiet main street that served the farm families of Hancock County’s southern tier. Dallas City was connected to Carthage by road and to the wider world by the Mississippi River; its economy depended on both. H. sent this card from Dallas City. The street is empty in the image, which may indicate it was taken on a Sunday or early morning when commerce hadn’t yet begun.

1900s, Architecture, Buildings & Architecture, General Correspondence, Golden Age, Sent From: Illinois, Sent To: Carthage, IL, Sights Collection, Subject: Illinois, Transportation

Postcard #1095: Dallas City, IL — V.H to Pearl, July 1909

August 15, 2026 No Comments

Front of postcard #1095: Real photo postcard of a large stone high school building featuring gothic-style windows and a central tower with a cupo

Transcription

Back — Rec’d your card thanks for same. Where are you going to spend the 4th come up to Dallas & we will go to Burlington. V.H. ] This is where I spend many long and tiresome days.

Postcard Information

Postmark: DALLAS CITY, ILL., JUL 2 1909
Sent To: Carthage IL
Era: Golden Age (1907–1915)
Publisher: C. U. WILLIAMS, BLOOMINGTON, ILL.
Stamp: 1¢
Distance Traveled: ~15 miles

About This Card

Dallas City, Illinois sits on the Mississippi River in Hancock County, about twenty miles south of Carthage on the river road. The city was platted in 1836 and grew as a river landing serving the agricultural hinterland; by the early twentieth century it was a small brick-street town with a school, a bank, and the river commerce that sustained communities of its size along the upper Mississippi. V.H. sent this real photo postcard of the high school building. The stone Gothic-style windows on a prairie school building suggest civic ambition in a community that took its children’s education seriously.

1900s, General Correspondence, Golden Age, Nature & Landscapes, People & Portraits, Religious Buildings, Sent From: Illinois, Sent To: Carthage, IL, Sights Collection, Subject: Illinois

Postcard #0099: Illustration of a couple outdoors near a large tree, Dallas City, IL — August 1909

August 3, 2026 No Comments

Front of postcard #0099: Illustration of a couple outdoors near a large tree. A man in a dark suit is kneeling to kiss a woman in a long white dr

Transcription

Back — Rec’d your postal some days ago was glad to hear from you, did you enjoy yourself while in L.H.? I did not was on the bum all day just rec’d a card from H. B. [?] he says he is doing fine and likes N. Dak. O.K. So Elva was in town [?] was she you tell her I believe she stayed clear of me on purpose.

Postcard Information

Postmark: DALLAS CITY, ILL., AUG 26 1909
Sent To: Carthage IL
Era: Golden Age (1907–1915)
Publisher: T.E.L. "Theochrom"
Print Origin: Printed in Germany
Stamp: 1¢ — Stamp is affixed upside down.
Distance Traveled: ~20 miles
Notes: upside-down stamp

1900s, General Correspondence, Golden Age, Nature & Landscapes, Parks & Nature, People & Portraits, Sent From: Illinois, Sent To: Carthage, IL, Sights Collection, Subject: Illinois

Postcard #0098: Dallas City, IL — Verlie [?] to Pearl, June 1909

July 31, 2026 No Comments

Front of postcard #0098: Colored illustration of a young woman in a white dress sitting on the grass next to an art easel under a large tree. A y

Transcription

Back — This card belongs to a set of six, when addressed it made a slip [?] and put the last first Why don’t you answer my last card? I notice you did not come to Dallas Sun eve, what can the matter be? Yours as ever, Verlie [?]

Postcard Information

Postmark: Dallas City, Illinois, JUN 29 1909
Sent To: Carthage IL
Era: Golden Age (1907–1915)
Publisher: H.E.L. „Theochrom“, Germany
Print Origin: Printed in Germany
Stamp: 1¢
Distance Traveled: ~15 miles

1900s, General Correspondence, Golden Age, Nature & Landscapes, Parks & Nature, People & Portraits, Religious Buildings, Sent From: Illinois, Sent To: Carthage, IL, Sights Collection, Subject: Illinois

Postcard #0097: 4, Dallas City, IL — October 1909

July 30, 2026 No Comments

Front of postcard #0097: Color illustration of a romantic scene showing a man in a black suit kneeling before a woman in a long white dress, hold

Transcription

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

Postcard Information

Postmark: Dallas City, Illinois, OCT 19 1909
Sent To: Carthage IL
Era: Golden Age (1907–1915)
Publisher: H.E.L. „Theochrom“
Print Origin: Printed in Germany
Stamp: 1¢
Distance Traveled: ~15 miles

1900s, General Correspondence, Golden Age, Nature & Landscapes, People & Portraits, Sent From: Illinois, Sent To: Carthage, IL, Sights Collection, Subject: Illinois

Postcard #0096: 3, Dallas City, IL — the writer. Bess to Pearl, July 1909

July 29, 2026 No Comments

Front of postcard #0096: Color illustration depicting a well-dressed man in a dark suit tipping his hat to a woman in a white dress who is painti

Transcription

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.

Postcard Information

Postmark: Dallas City, Ill., JUL 31 1909
Sent To: Carthage IL
Era: Golden Age (1907–1915)
Publisher: H.E.L. „Theochrom“
Print Origin: Printed in Germany
Stamp: 1¢
Distance Traveled: ~15 miles