The week begins with an aerial overview of the city of Grand Rapids, MI.
The description states:
HEART OF THE CITY – Typical of Grand Rapids’ progressive nature is the network of super highways linking the city center to surrounding suburbs and other Michigan cities. Projects such as this and the impressive Vandenberg Center are characteristic of the growth which has made it one of America’s leading cities.
–Since these optimistic words were printed, Grand Rapids has seen a significant decline from de-industrialization and plant closings beginning in the late 1970s. This card, one of several from the same series, dates from the late 1960s.
Category: Postcards From Another Millennium
Postcards from various decades of the 20th century.
Rochester, Minnesota “A World Famed City”
This folio includes city view of Rochester, MN, emphasizing the many significant buildings and organizations located there.
It is not clear what organization the Junior High Barber Shop is, but it no longer exists at the location indicated on the folio. Probably just an evocative name, as there is no indication that there was a Junior High school nearby.
As can be seen on the front of the folio, this was mailed in 1946, establishing the date the folio was likely published.
Chinatown Wax Museum at Night, San Francisco, CA
This is a picture of the corner of Grant and California Streets in San Francisco, CA at night, featuring the Chinatown Wax Museum.
The description on the back of the card states:
SAN FRANCISCO’S CHINATOWN AT NIGHT
The mysteries of the Orient are still with you when you travel through Chinatown. The quaint Oriental atmosphere has been retained over changing years.
–The building featured in the photo has changed hands over the years, and it is now occupied by a McDonald’s restaurant. This picture is from the 1970s.
Point Lobos, CA
This is one of many spectacular views from Point Lobos State Reserve, known as the jewel of the California State Park system.
There is no description on the back of this card. The photo, while quite impressive in quality, does not begin to show the incredible color of the water around the reserve, which can range from sky blue to emerald green depending on the depth and underlying seafloor.
The picture appears to date from the 1970s.
Cypress Point, Pebble Beach, CA
An iconic photo. Perhaps the most photographed tree in the world: Lone Cypress, the trademark of the Pebble Beach Corporation and located on 17 Mile Drive on the Monterey Peninsula.
There is no description on the back of this card. The view is a common one from a vantage point where there is tourist parking. Although it is called Lone Cypress, there is clearly a second tree on the same rocky point that sprouted some years ago, and will likely someday outgrow the present tree. The tree is not in the best condition, and is held in place by cables to prevent it toppling into the surf below.
It appears to date from the 1970’s.
Emmons Prayer Room, Upper Room Chapel, Nashville, TN
This is a view of the altar in the Emmons Prayer Room, part of the Upper Room Chapel.
There is no description on the back of the postcard. The Upper Room is a daily devotional publication distributed by the United Methodist Church to its congregations, which expanded into an international, multi-lingual ministry. It celebrated 75 years of publication in 2010 and is available electronically or by subscription to the print edition.
The image dates from the 1970s.
Last Supper Replica, Upper Room Chapel, Nashville, TN
This is a polychrome wood relief of the Da Vinci fresco called The Last Supper. It is in the Upper Room Chapel.
The description on the back states:
The great polychrome woodcarving of Leonardo’s Last Supper, in the Upper Room Chapel, 1908 Grand Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee, 37203.
The postcard was used and has the postmark of July 28, 1977.
Parthenon, Nashville, TN
This is a photo of the faithful version of the Greek Parthenon in Athens, Greece. It originally was a temple to the goddess Athena Parthenos, or Athena in her manifestation as the protector of the city.
The card was trimmed top and bottom but doesn’t lose any of the main subject. The description states:
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville’s Parthenon in Centennial Park is the only full sized replica of the world famous Parthenon of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece. This masterpiece of early Greek Architecture is 228′ in length, 101′ wide and 65′ high.
–While this card was not used, it is one of a few bought at the same time, one of which was mailed and postmarked, indicating this image is from the 1970s.
Salt Lake City, UT Folio
The week concludes with an extensive set of colorized images from Salt Lake City and areas nearby.
As indicated in the description above, the population at the time this folio was produced was over 170,000. The US Census figures for 1950 and 1960 indicate that this estimate falls between those two census totals. Thus, this folio was produced in the 1950s.
Capitol Building, Salt Lake City, UT
The weekend brings a linen-textured colored card of the Utah state capitol building.
The description on this card is quite lengthy:
UTAH STATE CAPITOL, EXTERIOR
Utah may be justly proud of its State Capitol.The building was finished and formally opened to the public October 9, 1916. From its commanding location, a wonderful view of the whole of Salt Lake Valley may be had. The Capitol proper is 240 feet wide, 404 feet long and 285 feet high. The general style of the architecture is pure Corinthian. The diameter of the dome is 64 feet. Fifty-two columns 42 feet high grace the exterior. Total cost: $2,739,528.54.
–This card was mailed from the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce to my mother when she was 14 years old. The only remark on the card is “We are temporarily out of booklets.” This indicates that my mother had sent a letter requesting a booklet or brochure about the Utah government or building in hopes of receiving it in the mail for a school project or a scrapbook. These sorts of requests by students to businesses and government departments throughout the country were common in this era.
The card was mailed April 12, 1946. All the writing and addressing are typed, an unusual approach given the difficulty in feeding postcards through a manual typewriter roller without permanently curling it.