Moody's Postcard Blog

Old Antique Vintage Postcards Blog is Moving

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 17:10:00 +0000

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WE ARE MOVING!!!

It is time for an upgrade to a more flexible blogging platform so this will be our last post here. We recently upgraded from Blogger to our own self hosted blog right on the server for our website! Please stop by and sign up to receive our regular blogs from there.

All you need to do is CLICK ON THIS LINK and you will arrive at our new blog. Once there, you can sign up to receive the new blog by email by clicking on the link in the UPPER LEFT corner.

AND DON'T FORGET TO ADD THE NEW SITE TO YOUR FAVORITES!!

Old Antique Vintage 1915 Postcards of Kearney Nebraska Normal School & Industrial School

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:10:00 +0000

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Schools were the pride of every town in America and have been proudly displayed on postcards since the early 1900s. The first view below is a circa 1915 postcard showing the Normal School, we call them teacher colleges now, in Kearney Nebraska. There was a school building boom in the early 1900s and the demand for qualified teachers was high. This school was founded in 1905 as the Nebraska State Normal School at Kearney, renamed Nebraska State Teachers College in 1921, renamed Kearney State College in 1963 and joined the University system as the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 1991.

The second school in Kearney is the State Industrial School and is shown on the circa 1915 E. C. Kropp postcard. Kearney had a population of 9,106 in the 1910 census and 27,431 in the 2000 census. Both of these postcards can be found in my Nebraska listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! It will supplement your education.

La Grange Georgia & Madison Georgia GA 1920s Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 01:57:00 +0000

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Today I am going to treat you to more small town vintage Georgia postcards with popular subject matter. Our first stop is in La Grange Georgia which had a population of 5,587 in the 1910 census and had grown to 25,998 by the 2000 census. Keep in mind that a small population when the postcard was printed normally means a limited supply produced and a large population now should provide a larger demand. This is a 1920s E. C. Kropp postcard showing the Dunson hospital in La Grange GA.

The second small town is Madison Georgia which had a 1910 population of 2,412 and only 3,636 in the 2000 census. This is a great 1920s Auburn Post Card Manufacturing Company postcard with a view of the "New Morgan Hotel". This town is known as "The town General Sherman Refused to Burn" during the Civil War. It was said he spared the town because it was so beautiful but it was really because the town was the home of a pro Union Senator named Joshua Hill who just happened to be friends with General Sherman's brother at West Point. That is your history lesson for the day. Both of these postcards can be found in my Georgia listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! It might lead you to the answer of a question you would have never asked.

Downtown Jackson Georgia 1908 Old Antique Vintage Postcard

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:43:00 +0000

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Jackson Georgia was incorporated on December 26 1826, was named in honor or President Andrew Jackson, is located about half way between Atlanta and Macon and is the county seat of Butts County. Jackson has always been a small town with a population of 1,862 in the 1910 census and had a total of 3,825 people in the 2000 census. As I have said many times before, the small town postcards from the early 1900s are very collectible and this one is no exception. This is a circa 1908 view of downtown Jackson Georgia along Third Street. This postcard is available in my Georgia listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! You will enjoy every minute of it.

Lutheran Indian Mission Rocky Boy MT Montana Old Antique Vintage Postcard

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 23:01:00 +0000

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First impressions are very important and that applies to shopping for postcards too. I want to show you a post card I would probably pass over if I was looking at a large group of postcards at a postcard show and was pressed for time. This is an unused 1941 Curt Teich linen postcard with a few small buildings on the side of a hill and no title on the front. The printed description on the back however would make me put it in my "buy" stack if the price was reasonable. The back description is "Lutheran Indian Mission, Rocky Boy Montana. Began 1920. Set aside as a Government Reservation in 1916 for the Rocky Boy's band of Cree and Chippewa Indians. Famed for its bead work." Indian reservations and schools are very collectible and popular so be sure to consider them anytime you have an opportunity to purchase. If you look closely at the image, the building on the right is probably the church since it has a cross on top of it. The white building near the center is probably the school or it could be a dormitory and there is a tee pee just to the left of it. The building at the far left is most likely the home of the Lutherans running the camp. Keep your eyes open and don't get in a big hurry and miss a good postcard. This postcard is available in my Montana listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Many treasures await you.

Great Falls Montana MT Hospital Hotel & High School 1940s Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:16:00 +0000

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Today's destination is Great Falls Montana featuring four Cecil Nixon photos on three 1940s E. C. Kropp postcards from a set I call the "Red Border Set". I'm not sure how many cards are in this set but I am pretty sure that there are at least four based on the numbers on the front of the postcards. The first view is numbered C-2634 and shows Columbus Hospital which was operated by the Sisters of Charity and also served as a training hospital for nurses.

The second post card is number C-2636 and is a dual view showing the High School and the athletic field which was used for all athletic events. The High School image only shows the central portion of the Main building.

The third postcard is number C-2637 and shows the Hotel Rainbow which was located in the middle of downtown and got its name from the Rainbow Falls of the Missouri River. All three of these postcards are available in my Montana listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Your world wide tour guide.

Chief Tomochichi Cottages Kingsland Georgia Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 23:20:00 +0000

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Roadside view is a postcard term and category primarily used to describe the motels, campgrounds, restaurants, cafes and tourist traps along the highways from the 1920s to the 1960s when travel was by automobiles along highways before the interstate system. The three roadside views below are all of the same place but cover three decades and the first one is from the 1930s. This is Tomochichi's Luxurious Tourist Cottages on US Coastal Highway 17 in Kingsland Gerogia in Camden County along the Georgia coast just above the Florida line. The cottages shown feature a garage, private bath rooms, open fire places and offer a restaurant, zoological park and tavern.

The second view is a 1940s Albertype postcard which now calls this Chief Tomochichi's Tourist Court and mentions it is 40 miles North of Jacksonville Florida and a day's drive from Miami.

The third view of Chief Tomachichi Modern Cottages is a 1950s Dexter Press postcard and shows the restaurant, gas station and office. Chief Tomochichi was a Creek Indian who was exiled by the Creeks and founded the Yamacraw tribe from Creek and Yamasee Indians and settled what is now Savannah Georgia. He was a friend to early English colonists and was taken to England by James Olglethorpe in 1734. All of these postcards can be found in my Georgia listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Enjoy the roadside views.

Missoula Montana & Harve Montana MT Old Antique 1908 Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:35:00 +0000

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Schools were a very important status symbol of towns and cities in the early 1900s and therefore were featured on postcards from almost every town. The first post card below is from Missoula Montana which was the third largest city in Montana and had a population of 12,869 in 1910 and 42,918 in the 2000 census. Commercial College is shown on this circa 1908 I. P. Company postcard which was produced for George I. Steinbrenner in Missoula.

The second post card is from the much smaller town of Havre Montana which had a population of 3,624 in 1910 and 9,621 in the 2000 census and shows the "new" High School.Both of these postcards are available in my Montana listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Get an education from a penny postcard.

Old Antique Vintage 1908 Postcards of Harlowton & Columbus Montana MT

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 17:57:00 +0000

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Today we are moving west to Harlowton Montana which is the county seat of Wheatland County. Harlowton is a small town and there are only five towns in the county. Founded in 1900 on the Montana Railroad as a stopover, the population has remained small with 770 people in the 1910 census, 1,856 by the 1930s and back to 1,062 in the 2000 census. Agriculture and the railroad were the lifeblood of the town and the town was the eastern end of the Milwaukee Road railroad's "Pacific Extension" route which ran electric locomotives from Harlowton to Avery Idaho. This postcard is a circa 1908 view of downtown with the State Bank on the right with a Cafe next door and the post office is in the red building which has 1907 at the top of the building. This is a great early view of downtown in a very small Montana town.

The next stop is another small Montana town and it is the county seat of Stillwater County. Located at the confluence of the Stillwater River and Yellowstone River, the first trading post and stage stop was started there by Horace Countryman around 1875 and by 1882 it was a major stop on the Northern Pacific Railroad which named it Stillwater Village. In 1894, it was renamed Columbus by the railroad due to shipping mix ups with Stillwater Minnesota. In fact, the town holds the state record for the most name changes at four including Stillwater, Eagle's Nest, Sheep Dip and Columbus. The population was 521 in the 1910 census, 987 by the 1930s and was 1,748 in the 2000 census. The area has always been primarily an agriculture and ranching center. This circa 1908 postcard bird's eye view of Columbus shows much of the town with railroad tracks in the lower left corner. This is another small town view that is a great collector's item. Both of these postcards can be found in my Montana listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! See the REAL old west.

Old Antique Vintage Postcard of the State Capitol in Milledgeville Georgia

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 00:05:00 +0000

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The vintage postcard for today is a 1929 Curt Teich post card showing the old State Capitol building in Milledgeville Georgia. Most people are familiar with the current Georgia state capitol of Atlanta Georgia and can be forgiven for not knowing that Milledgeville was the state capitol for 64 years since that was from 1804 to 1868. Fewer still know that the first state capitol of Georgia was Louisville Georgia. In 1803 the Georgia legislature passed an act that called for the establishment of a town in the center of the state to be the Georgia State Capitol and named it after the sitting Georgia Governor John Milledge. The building shown here is where Georgia held their secession convention during the Civil War and was occupied by General Sherman's army during their devastating "March to the Sea". It was home to Georgia Military College at the time this postcard was printed. This postcard can be found in my Georgia listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Have fun expanding your knowledge.

Laconia New Hampshire & Hillsboro New Hampshire Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:55:00 +0000

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I want to change states again today and move on to New Hampshire. The first postcard is a 1913 Curt Teich postcard of the town of Laconia New Hampshire showing the Soldiers' Monument, the Gale Memorial Library and the Laconia Tavern. I spend a great deal of time trying to identify any items or businesses of interest when I evaluate a postcard and this one makes that task much easier. If I was from Laconia NH, I would probably recognize them immediately but I have never been there and there are no names visible on anything. The descriptive title gives me the information I need and with a full accurate description, this postcard gains a much wider appeal which makes it easier to sell and more valuable. Since the postcard was printed in 1913, the Soldiers' Monument is most likely a Civil War monument and there is a cannon and cannon balls in front of it making it of interest to Civil War monument collectors. Also, there are collectors of libraries, taverns and hotels which increases the appeal of this particular view.

The second postcard is a Curt Teich 1939 linen view of the Community Building in Hillsboro New Hampshire. Unfortunately, there isn't any additonal information and I would really like to know if this was built as a community center or was originally a home or even a hotel or inn. One thing for sure is that it is a beautiful building and I just hope it is still there. Both of these postcards are available in my New Hampshire listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! See the USA on postcards.

Old Antique Vintage 1910 Postcard of the Kansas City Missouri Ctiy Workhouse

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:19:00 +0000

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I look through thousands of postcards every year and every now and then there is one that makes me stop and look just because it is so different from what I normally see. Today's postcard is a good illustration of what I am talking about. This would not be that unusual if I was looking through foreign postcards but this one was in a group of Missouri postcards. This is a circa 1910 American News Company postcard of the City Workhouse in Kansas City Missouri. The postcard has no further information on the back and the sender did not even mention the view on the card. At first glance, I would have guessed it was an Armory which often look like castles but I am guessing that it was a maintenance shop for city vehicles or equipment. If we are lucky, somebody from Kansas City will let me know and I can update the article. This post card can be found in my Missouri listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Sometimes you find questions and sometimes you find answers.

Old Antique Vintage Postcards of Restaurants in Las Vegas Nevada

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:48:00 +0000

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Since we ended up in Las Vegas last time, I will continue today with a couple of vintage postcards on places to eat in Las Vegas Nevada. The first is on a 1940s Art Tone postcard view of the Dining Room at The Golden Nugget. I am confident it has been upgraded several times since this configuration.

Our next stop is 4th and Fremont Streets in "in the heart of downtown" Las Vegas Nevada at Art Decco style Corey's Fine Foods Cafe on this 1950s Colourpicture chrome postcard. This was in the early days of the "Chrome" postcard with the 1950s seeing the rise of the chrome postcard and the end of the linen postcard production. Both of these post cards are available in my Nevada listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Find fine restaurants by the thousands.

Reno & Las Vegas Nevada Railroad Depots on Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 18:07:00 +0000

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My last article was on downtown Reno Nevada so today we are leaving Reno and heading to Las Vegas Nevada. The first view below is from a 1937 Curt Teich linen postcard showing the Southern Pacific Railroad Depot in Reno Nevada with the train arriving in the station while passengers await anxiously to board. In keeping with my effort to help you recognize the little extras in postcard views that can add to the value of the post card, be sure to notice the man on the bicycle next to the railroad crossing signal, the train engine number is 4102 and in the upper left corner is the sign on top of the Overland Hotel just behind the depot.

The next postcard is a 1940 Curt Teich linen postcard showing the arrival "City of Los Angeles" Streamliner "LA-1" which had both Pullmans and reserved seat coaches between Chicago Illinois and Los Angeles California, arriving at the Union Pacific Depot in Las Vegas Nevada. Extra goodies on this postcard are the train which can be specifically identified and the Art Deco design of the Railroad Depot. Both are very important extras which will attract more collectors to this postcard and thereby increase its value. The printed information on the back of the card claims that "this is the world's first streamlined, completely air conditioned railroad passenger station". Both of these post cards can be found in my Nevada listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER! It is your ticket to ride.

Downtown Reno Nevada Virginia Street 1940s Old Antique Vintage Postcard

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 02:23:00 +0000

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Last time I discussed two circa 1908 postcards on Reno Nevada so now I want to move forward 40 years and look at the downtown area and the gambling establishments that were in their infancy. The description printed on the back says this is a late 1940s view of Casino Row in "The Biggest Little City in the World". On the left is the Herz Jewelry store and on the right is the First National Bank, Harrahs Club, Frontier, the Nevada Club, the Reno Club and Harolds Club. A little further down the street is the famous "RENO' sign stretching across the Virginia Street. This is a newer chrome postcard but the view is vintage 1940s. The area seems like a good location for the jewelry store and bank. These older casino postcards are good sellers and they are very reasonable. This postcard is available in my Nevada listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! It is a great hobby, not a gamble.

Reno Nevada & University of Nevada 1908 Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:46:00 +0000

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Most of us are familiar with the modern day Reno Nevada so I want to show you a couple of views of the town as it appeared around 1908. The first view is a circa 1908 E. C. Kropp postcard showing the entrance to the University of Nevada with with the campus and two of the large buildings in the background.

The next view is also a circa 1908 postcard by the Pacific Novelty Company and gives us a great downtown view along Virginia Street. Starting in the foreground, the signs that can be read are Hudson Electrical Company, The Grand Theater, Mecca and then the Martin Block which is made up of the three red buildings in the center of the view and the middle one of these is a drug store. The photo and printing quality of both of these post cards are excellent which adds to their appeal and value. Both of these postcards are available in my Nevada listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! See towns and institutions in their infancy.

Many Glacier Hotel Glacier National Park 1935 Old Antique Vintage Postcard

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 02:59:00 +0000

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With all of this talk about global warming and glaciers melting, I'm thinking I need to make a return visit to Glacier National Park in Montana before the glaciers are all gone. With that in mind, I want to feature a couple of postcards on the park since they are not common and I sell them just about as fast as I can find them and add them to my website. The first view is a 1935 Curt Teich postcard showing the front of the Many Glacier Hotel with over 20 horses tied up out front waiting for guests to go on a riding trip.

The second post card is a circa 1920 E. C. Kropp view of the back porch of the Many Glacier Hotel showing the beautiful view of the lake and Grinnell Mountain. Keep your eyes open for postcards on this great National Park and put it on your places to see list before the glaciers are gone. Both of these postcards are available in my Montana listings along with an additional 10,000 postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! You will enjoy the view.

Memphis Texas 1910 Old Antique Vintage Postcard

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:31:00 +0000

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Today we are moving due east across the Texas panhandle from Herford to Memphis Texas and we have a great circa 1910 C. U. Williams postcard #8291. Memphis is the county seat of Hall County and had its beginning in 1889 when the land was purchased by J. C. Montgomery. Homes and stores began to appear in 1890, the post office was established in September 1890 and a railroad depot was built on the Fort Worth and Denver City Railroad which ran through the town. The town was incorporated in 1906, had a population of 1,936 in 1910, 3,352 by 1980 but was down to 2,479 by 2000 and has remained a farming town since 1890 with cotton playing an important role in the town's economy. This postcard shows the Union Cotton Compress and Yard full of cotton bales. This postcard is available in my Texas listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Discover America.

Herford Texas 1910 Old Antique Vintage Postcard

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 20:01:00 +0000

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Small Texas towns are the focus again today and this one is Herford Texas on a circa 1910 C. U. Williams postcard #7774. First I want to repeat what I have said before about this publisher. C. U. Williams postcards are not common, the views shown on them are limited to this publisher in all of the examples I have seen and the subject matter is carefully chosen. These post cards are easy to recognize by the hand written titles and also contain a number which will help you keep track of his postcards that you have.

Herford Texas is located in the panhandle of Texas near the New Mexico border and is the county seat and largest town in Deaf Smith County. Originally named Blue Water in the late 1890s for the color of Tierra Blanca Creek, the name had to be changed when the post office discovered a town by that name already existed in Texas. The locals decided on the name Herford because that was the breed of cattle stocked on the local ranches. When the Pecos and Northern Texas Railway completed the railroad track from Amarillo to Farwell which passed through Herford in 1899, county residents decided to move the county seat from La Plata to Herford. They even moved the courthouse by wagon to the new location and by 1900 the population was 532. By 1902, there were five churches and Herford College opened that year. By 1904, the town had hundreds of windmills and had acquired the nickname of "The Windmill City". The city incorporated in February 1903 and reincorporated in 1906 after the first incorporation vote was annuled.

The period from 1906 through 1910 saw many changes as the town experienced dramatic growth and by 1910 the population reached 1,750. During this time, the town suffered two major fires so a fire department was established. Also, electric power and telephone service began, a new railroad depot was built, a library was established, a new courthouse was completed and the first irrigation well tapped into the Ogallala Aquifer which increased farming activities for many years to come. The original courthouse was remodeled into St. Anthony's Church and was moved again later.

The town survived the dust bowl, had a prisoner of war camp for Italian soldiers during World War II and continued to grow with a population of 2,500 in 1940, 5,200 in 1950, peaked at almost 16,000 in 1980 and had 14,597 according to the 2000 census. In the late 1940s, local dentist Dr. F. M. Butler claimed the unusual low cavity rate in the town was due to natural fluoride in the local water and this was eventually verified by the Texas Department of Health making the town famous as the "Town without a toothache".

The circa 1910 C. U. Williams postcard below is a testament to the growth spurt from 1906 to 1910 mentioned above since it shows lots of ditch diggers laying the water main just in front of the buildings on the left. The only sign readable is "Dr. Bisco, Dentist" on the building in the left foreground. This postcard is available in my Texas listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Interesting history awaits you.

1908 Haskell Texas Old Antique Vintage Postcard

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 22:17:00 +0000

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Today we visit another small Texas town so I can show you some of the details you should be searching for as you examine old vintage postcards. Our destination is Haskell Texas, which is North of Abilene Texas, and is the county seat of Haskell County. The area was originally called Willow Pond Springs in the early 1800s and served as a watering hole for Indians and buffalo hunters. The first settlers arrived around 1879 and Haskell County was created in 1885. The post office was established that year and the town was named Haskell. Being the county seat attracted more settlers and soon the "Road to Ruin" saloon opened, the Haskell "Free Press" began publication in 1886 and the town was finally incorporated in 1907 and reached a population of 2,436 according to the 1910 census. The population grew to 2,611 by 1930, 33,051 in 1940 and 3,832 by 1950. Discovery of an oilfield just outside of town around 1940 helped the town but the population peaked in 1970 at 4,166 and by the 2000 census, the population was reported at 3,106.

With this history in mind, we are ready to examine a circa 1908 A. M. Simon post card of the town. The caption gives us the basic information that this shows the North side of town, the photo used was made from the court house and the title misspelled the town name by using only one "l". Fortunately, this is a very good printing job from a very good quality photo so many of the business names are available which provides valuable historical information about Haskell. I should mention that many postcards had business names deleted intentionally since the local publisher who had the card printed would want to draw attention to his business, might not want to help a competitor or would expect something in return for leaving another store's name. Reading from left to right on the buildings in the foreground, there is Dellis Brothers, a building without a sign, an alley to the two long buildings which are a lumber yard, the Racket Store with W. H. Wyman as the proprietor, Foster & Neal Groceries & Racket Goods and a drug store on the corner. Going North away from the court house on the right is the City Meat Market, Haskell Real Estate Co., a large two story building that looks like a hotel and just beyond that is Guest & Abbott Lumber. Just behind the two long lumber yard buildings in the center of the picture is the Grist Mill & Feed Store. Several blocks further back among the residences is a three story brick building which I assume is the local school house. Two other items of interst are an automobile in the street at an odd angle which is something added by the postcard printer or publisher and there is a windmill in the lot behind the store without a name.

So there you have it. An unusually large amount of detail on one postcard on a very small town. This is a truly exceptional postcard and would be a goldmine for the town historian. Here is one last parting thought. Did the photographer also take a South, East and West view from this vantage point in the top of the Haskell County Court House? I think the chances are very good he did so now the town historian has something to look forward to. Also,from now on, when you look at any history books, carefully check the images and you will find that many are taken from old vintage postcards. This postcard is available in my Texas listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website at Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! A great way to research you home town.

Ovalo Texas School House 1911 Old Antique Vintage Postcard

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 19:21:00 +0000

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Today I want to visit a small Texas town similar to the one I grew up in in an effort to highlight the characteristics that make these great old postcards so attractive. Our destination is Ovalo Texas with the Public School Building shown on this circa 1911 post card. Ovalo is located in Taylor County and is near Abilene Texas in the middle of the state. The town is located in an oval shaped valley and was named for the Spanish word meaning oval. In 1909, the Abilene and Southern Railway Company ran tracks near Ovalo and lots went on sale in the same year. A year later, there were forty six businesses and two churches in Ovalo which will give you an idea of the impact of railroads on town locations and health. Ovalo children attended the one room Bald Eagle School until 1910 when a new school was constructed and named Ovalo School. NOTE: This postcard was mailed in 1911 so this should be the Ovalo School since the Bald Eagle School was a "one room school". Ovalo added the First State Bank in 1914 and the population grew to 300 by 1920 and 600 by 1930. In 1988, the town was back down to 200 people and only had a post office, Baptist Church and a combination grocery store and gas station. The 2000 census listed the population as 225. This has always been a small town and as such, postcards on this town are going to be very hard to find. Do your research on potential purchases to help you determine the potential supply available so you can get a feel for the value. This postcard is available in my Texas listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Your ticket to interesting out of the way places.

New Orleans Louisiana Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:43:00 +0000

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It has been a long time since I have been to New Orleans Louisiana so I decided to revisit them with a couple of old postcards of areas there I enjoyed. The first view is on a 1931 Curt Teich postcard and shows the bridge across Lake Pontchartrain which was the world's longest continuous concrete highway bridge at the time.

The second postcard is also a Curt Teich post card and is a 1909 multi view of four mansions in the Garden District. I have walked through this area and it is truly amazing. I would recommend that if you are ever in New Orleans to be sure and just do a walk through of this neighborhood and you can get there on one of the trolleys from downtown on Canal Street. Until then, enjoy this great old postcard view. Both of these post cards are available in my Louisiana listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! A great way to visit the Big Easy.

Troy New York Hospitals on Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:23:00 +0000

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Troy New York was formed in 1791, became a village in 1801 and was chartered as a city in 1816. In 1900, the city of Lansinburgh was merged into Troy. Troy had a significant presence in the early American steel industry and was also a manufacturing center for shirts, shirtwaists, collars and cuffs. The iron and steel industry moved to Pennsylvania and other areas and the collar industry slowed and the town began to lose population and prominence. In 1910, the population was over 75,000 but had declined to 49,170 by the year 2000. The first view below is a circa 1910 Souvenir Post Card Company bird's eye view of the new Troy Hospital.

The second view is a 1920s Tichnor postcard which also shows the Troy Hospital. When I first pulled these postcards, I thought they were the same building but after closer examination, I believe they are two different buildings. If I am wrong, someone will let me know and I'll update this post. Both of these postcards are available in my New York listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! The hobby for all ages.

Marlin Texas Hotel Tourist Camp & Inn 1906 & 1920s Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 01:12:00 +0000

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Last time I covered the the hospitals, clinics and bath houses that the mineral hot springs brought to Marlin Texas. Today I want to branch out a bit to show other businesses created to support the hot springs industry. The first postcard below is a circa 1906 view of the Arlington Hotel which dwarfed the other downtown hotels.

Smaller establishments also sprang up to handle the overflow of tourists and patients drawn to this healing oasis and provided alternative accommodations for the more economically challenged visitors. The next vintage postcard is a 1920s Albertype view of the May Bell Inn and the last one is also a 1920s Albertype roadside view postcard showing the Bartlett Park Tourist Camp. Both of these were published for the Sanitarium Drug Store in Marlin Texas. All of these post cards can be found in my Texas listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! Your window to the past.

Marlin Texas Hot Wells 1930s Old Antique Vintage Postcards

noreply@blogger.com (Richard) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:53:00 +0000

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Last time we covered the mineral baths in Mineral Wells Texas so today we will move down the road a bit to Marlin Texas, the "Official Mineral Water City of Texas", which is the county seat of Falls County. The post office was established in 1851 and the town was incorporated in 1867. The first railroad into town was the Houston and Texas Central Railway in 1871 followed by the International Great Northern in 1901. In 1892, hot mineral water was found while searching for an artesian well and Dr. J. W. Cook began to promote Marlin as a health center and the Bethesda Bathhouse, Majestic Bathhouse, Imperial Hotel, Torbett Hospital and the pavilion for the flowing hot water fountain were quickly established. Dr. Frank H. Shaw established a crippled children's clinic in 1925 which provided treatment and therapy for handicapped children and victims of polio and arthritis using the hot mineral water in a swimming pool and other muscle building therapy. The first post card is a 1920s Albertype postcard showing the Majestic Hotel, Hotel Imperial and Torbett's Sanitarium in downtown Marlin.

The second view is a 1936 Curt Teich postcard showing the Falls Hotel which had an underground tunnel connecting to the Buie Clinic, Marlin Sanitarium and Bath House which utilized the hot wells. Both of these postcards are available in my Texas listings along with 10,000 additional postcards on my website Moody's Postcards.

CATCH POSTCARD FEVER!! A sure cure for what ails you.