family - When My Tan Wears Out

Postcard #0040: Good Times with Family in Superior, Nebraska

Vintage postcard depicting the neoclassical Nebraska State Capitol building in Lincoln, Nebraska, with a large central dome and columns, surrounded by green grass and trees under a light blue sky. Text overlay reads — Front — A vintage postcard of the Nebraska State Capitol building in Lincoln with a prominent dome.

Postcard Metadata

Postmarked: Superior, Nebraska — July 22, 1908
Sent From: Superior, Nebraska
Sent To: Mr. Harvey Sights, LaHarpe, Ills.
Distance Traveled: Approximately 400 miles
Postage: United States of America, Benjamin Franklin, One Cent (green)
Card Details: Divided back postcard, featuring publisher details “Elite No. 118. J. Frank Du Toit, Dist. Lowell, Neb.”

Handwritten postcard message from Carrie to Harvey Sights, postmarked Superior, Nebraska, July 22, 1908, with a one-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp. The message asks about Harvey's well-being and whether he's — Back — Correspondence from Carrie to Harvey Sights

Transcription

Superior July 20. Dear Harvey am at Superior with the uncles and aunties. Having a good time. Hope you are well, if it is still warm. Though are you out on the line today. Lew is here. Pleading Carrie.

Historical & Family Notes

This postcard offers a glimpse into Harvey Sights’ life and family connections before he married Pearl Byers. Sent by “Pleading Carrie” from Superior, Nebraska, it reveals that Harvey had family, specifically “uncles and aunties,” living or visiting there. The affectionate closing “Pleading Carrie” suggests a close relationship, possibly a sister or cousin, who misses him or wants him to visit.

Carrie’s question, “Though are you out on the line today,” hints that Harvey might have been traveling for work or had a regular route, perhaps as a salesman or in a similar profession that kept him “on the line.” This detail provides a valuable insight into Harvey’s early career or activities.

The card, addressed to Harvey Sights in LaHarpe, Illinois, from a family member in Superior, Nebraska, paints a picture of a young man with a life connected to extended family, even as he was potentially on the move for work. It helps contextualize Harvey’s experiences before he became a central figure in the Sights-Byers family arc.

Postcard #014: 1909 New Year Greetings to Young Harvey Sights

A vintage New Year's postcard for 1909, featuring the numbers — Front — A 1909 New Year greeting card featuring ornate numbers, pine branches, pine cones, and green shamrocks.

Postcard Metadata

Postmarked: Cairo, Illinois — December 30, 1908
Sent From: Cairo, Illinois
Sent To: Harvey Sights La Harpe Ills
Distance Traveled: Approximately 280 miles
Postage: 1 Cent United States of America, Benjamin Franklin stamp
Card Details: Divided Back Era (1907-1915), “Made in Germany”

The divided back of a vintage postcard featuring a handwritten New Year's message to — Back — Correspondence from Aunt, Hattie, and Uncle Jo to Harvey Sights

Transcription

Happy new year to our dear Boy Harvey From Aunt Hattie and Uncle Jo Be good and that will bring you happiness Harvey Sights La Harpe Ills Made in Germany. Serie 75

Historical & Family Notes

This early New Year’s card provides a charming glimpse into Harvey Sights’ childhood, dating from December 1908, just before the turn of 1909. Addressed to “our dear Boy Harvey” from his Aunt, Hattie, and Uncle Jo, the message “Be good and that will bring you happiness” suggests he was still quite young, perhaps a pre-teen or early teenager, receiving guidance from his loving family members. This card predates his eventual courtship and marriage to Pearl Byers, offering a foundational look at his upbringing and family ties.

The postcard’s origin from “Made in Germany” highlights the significant role German printers played in the Golden Age of Postcards, known for their high-quality lithography and vibrant designs. Sent from Cairo, Illinois, in the southern tip of the state, to La Harpe in western Illinois, it demonstrates the widespread use of postcards for connecting families across distances, even relatively short ones, in the early 20th century.

This card is a valuable piece in understanding Harvey Sights’ family context before he embarked on his life with Pearl. It paints a picture of a well-loved young boy, receiving well wishes and gentle admonitions from his extended family, laying the groundwork for the man he would become.