laharpe-il - When My Tan Wears Out

Postcard #1075: Engraving of the Old Gittings Seminary in Laharpe, Illinois, after its 1889 Fire

A detailed black-and-white engraving on the left half of an off-white postcard depicts the — Front — An engraving depicts the Old Gittings Seminary in Laharpe, Illinois, noted as having burned on January 13, 1889.

Postcard Metadata

Postmarked: N/A
Sent From: N/A (Laharpe, Illinois implied by subject matter)
Sent To: (Address lines are blank on the card)
Distance Traveled: N/A (No addresses for calculation)
Postage: No stamp visible
Card Details: Undivided Back (common pre-1907), manufactured by A.T.F. Co. Chicago.

The back of an off-white postcard features the — Back — Correspondence from Unidentified to Implied Recipient: Pearl Byers

Transcription

Show where the present F. A. Nelson home is.

Historical & Family Notes

This postcard offers a glimpse into local Illinois history, featuring an engraving of the Old Gittings Seminary in Laharpe, a town approximately 20 miles north of Carthage. The front explicitly notes the seminary’s destruction by fire on January 13, 1889, placing the card’s publication sometime after this event. The Undivided Back design suggests it predates 1907, aligning with the early courtship years of Pearl Byers and Harvey Sights.

The back of the card, while lacking a clear sender or recipient address, contains a brief, almost enigmatic message: “Show where the present F. A. Nelson home is.” This laconic note implies a shared local knowledge between the sender and the intended recipient, characteristic of correspondence between friends or family members within a close-knit community. It’s easy to imagine a young Harvey or Pearl sending such a card to the other, perhaps during one of their brief separations, sharing a point of interest known only to them.

The card serves as a tangible piece of the era, illustrating how local landmarks and everyday observations found their way into personal communications. While not a direct love letter, its inclusion in Pearl’s collection suggests it held some personal significance, possibly marking a location they visited or discussed, further knitting the fabric of their early relationship within the familiar landscapes of Hancock County, Illinois.

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.