Tag: postcard

This image shows a wagon and driver being pulled by a team (or yoke) of oxen, a method which was very common in the 19th Century, particularly for those who were traveling across the continent in search of new opportunities, or to cross the land mass to the west coast.
There is no description on the back of this card.
–It is not clear why this was considered a notable image for publication (or by extension, why the purchaser decided to acquire it). Such ox carts were well known and still evident in rural areas throughout the United States, though their use had declined with the wider availability of mule teams.
Also unknown is what the distinction was between Mission Grove and Mission Farms. It is assumed that the grove referred particularly to the tree-lined area of the settlement and the buildings associated with it, and the farm was the actual working farm where residents would spend their time providing for their upkeep.
This image likely dates from the 1930s.

This image is a better view of the large, conical-ended residences that lined the canal in the previous image. As is more apparent from this image, the building was not completely conical, but only rounded on the end and tapered to a point at the rooftop.
There is no description on the back of this card.
–While the description on the previous posting of these buildings was tepee, and this is wigwam, the former is closer to the actual structural shape. The classic tipi was tall and conical, while a wigwam was hemispherical in shape. It is not clear why the publisher decided to use different names for the same structure on the two cards.
This image likely dates from the 1930s.

This image shows a canal that ran through the grounds of Mission Farms, with housing for residents apparent on either side.
There is no description on the back of this card.
–The buildings to the right of the canal appear to be the ones referred to as tepees, as they appear taller and more conical, but it may be the ones on the left are smaller.
This image likely dates from the 1930s.

This image shows a small building in the extensive wooded area of Mission Grove, identified as a Boys Club.
There is no description on the back of this card.
–There likely was a Girls Club as well, as young people were typically kept segregated by gender for much of the time they spent at places such as this.
This image likely dates from the 1930s.

This image shows another of the varied residences on the Mission Farms/Mission Grove property. This building is called the Log Cabin Lodge, but it’s construction is more like the rustic style of the main buildings and not at all like a typical log cabin.
There is no description on the back of this card.
–A typical log cabin would have large vertical logs as the main wall members where this building has only thin, vertical logs attached at selected points to the facade of the building, more like a palisade than a wall.
This image likely dates from the 1930s.

This image shows the forested part of Mission Grove, and a building erected amidst the trees for the people who stayed at the Farm.
There is no description on the back of this card.
–Typical resident would likely have been people negatively impacted by the Great Depression, and there was an increasing number of such individuals and families as the impact of factory closures, farm failures and unemployment spread throughout the country.
This image likely dates from the 1930s.

This image continues the pictorial tour of the establishment known as Mission Farms. The building visible here was built to house various speakers who would come to the farm to provide religious and moral education for the people staying there.
There is no description on the back of the card.
–The lake which occupies a significant portion of the farm is clearly visible behind the building. While the address on the post card is Minneapolis, the current name for the location is in fact Plymouth, Minnesota, which may not have been officially named when this organization occupied the land.
This image likely dates from the 1930s.

This shows the interior of a much larger worship center, decorated in banners and flags, and identified as the Tabernacle.
There is no description on the back of this card.
–The much wider construction of the end wall, combined with the distinctly different window design and quantity, clearly distinguishes this building from the one seen in the earlier external shots of this series. However, the rustic architecture is still present with the fieldstone walls and the raw wood church pews, as well as the wood beam ceiling.
This image likely dates from the 1930s.