This card features one of the many stops along the Pony Express, a means of transporting messages from St. Joseph, Missouri on the Missouri-Kansas border to Sacramento, California just before the American Civil War.
The description states:
Greetings from the ORIGINAL PONY EXPRESS STATION, City Park, Gothenburg, Nebraska.
Thousands of tourists traveling U. S. 30 make a very interesting stop in Gothenburg and visit the famous Original Pony Express Station, used from 1860 to 1861 and dedicated to all the Pioneer who passed this way to win and hold the West.
Free picnic area.
–The Pony Express has a reputation much larger than its impact on communications in the American west, as it was only in operation for 18 months. While the reduction in time cross-country to 10 days was significant, the concurrent construction of the trans-continental telegraph line, completed in October, 1861, made the service unviable immediately.
This card likely dates from the 1950s.
Tag: postcard
Nebraska Alfalfa Dehydration Plant
This is an agricultural facility that dehydrates alfalfa for use as an animal feed. This process was pioneered on an industrial scale by Charles Schnabel. There are similar facilities in considerable numbers throughout the grain growing regions of the United States.
The description states:
Nebraska produces nearly half of the total United States production of dehydrated alfalfa.
–California also produces a significant percentage of alfalfa grown in the United States. This postcard likely dates to the 1960s.
Nebraska Black Angus
This card shows a typical cowherd with a small group of Black Angus cattle, a breed popular for the quality of their meat.
The description states:
Registered Black Angus cattle on Stanek Farms, were raised on lush irrigated pastures on the Platte River
–This breed is the most popular one in the United States, with over 300,000 head actively raised. There is even a large, successful restaurant chain named specifically for this breed of cattle.
This postcard likely dates from the 1960s.
Nebraska Promotional Postcard
This card is not about a specific place in Nebraska, but instead features two of the characteristics considered notable for the state: the presence of Native Americans and bison.
There is no description on the back of the card. The Native Americans are from the Ogallala band of the Lakota, which is one of two larger groups which make up the Sioux tribe.
The bison shown in the lower half are one of their most common food sources. There were millions of bison roaming throughout the Great Plains of the United States until unchecked predation by immigrants and tourists nearly drove them to extinction.
This card was used and is dated 13 June 1956.
Boeing B-17 Propaganda Card
This card is an image of an early version of the Boeing B-17 heavy bomber, nicknamed the Flying Fortress. This is recognizable as an early model as there are no apparent weapon installations, and several typical features of the warplane are missing, such as the turret above and behind the cockpit, the turret at the back of the tail section, the side gun ports near the rear of the fuselage, and no turret in the chin below the bomber’s viewing window. Specifically, this appears to be the YB-17 variant, a developmental design built before the beginning of hostilities.
There is no description on the back of the card. The phrase “Keep ‘Em Flying” printed at the top of the card was a common exhortation used to encourage the American public to support the war effort with monetary and other contributions.
This card was sent by an airman who was assigned to an airfield in Tennessee after the war, and by law did not require a stamp for the serviceman to mail. However, the card was cancelled anyway, and has a date of 24 September 1948
Park Place Hotel, Traverse City, Michigan
This substantial structure is the Park Place Hotel, with an annex attached to the front. It is a still operating business with the same name, location and building, and is now a historical site in Michigan as well.
There is no description on the back of this card. The cars shown are typical of the 1940s, and the card was used, with a date of 24 April, 1945.
Tunnel between Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario
This image shows an idealized view of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, shortly after construction was completed in 1930, and is the third major international crossing between Detroit and Windsor.
The description states:
The Detroit and Canada Tunnel, connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, is the first vehicular subway ever built between two nations. It is approximately a mile long from portal to portal. The American portal is but a few hundred feet from the center of the financial and shopping districts of Detroit, which the Canadian end is located in the very heart of Windsor’s rapidly expanding business center.
–The cars shown indicate this image is from the 1920s. The postcard was used, and is dated 18 August 1932.
Detroit News and WWJ Building, Detroit, Michigan
This image shows the massive building that housed both the Detroit News newspaper company, but also the broadcast facilities of radio station WWJ. The building was constructed in 1917 and occupied until 2014. The company has since moved to another much smaller building it shares with a former competitor, the Detroit Free Press.
The description states:
The Home of the Detroit News, fronting for more than 300 feet on Lafayette Boulevard and Second Street. This is considered one of the most complete and ideal newspaper plants in the world. — Visitors are always welcome and extended every courtesy.
–The radio station began operating with the call letters WWJ in 1922, and the cars shown indicate this image dates from the 20’s as well. The card was used, and is dated 18 August 1932.
Detroit Public Library, Detroit, Michigan
This is a low aerial view of the Detroit Public Library building as it looked after construction in the 1920s. It is an Italian Renaissance style building.
There is no description on the back of this card. The building is still in use as the Detroit Public Library main branch, and houses their administrative offices.
This card was used and is dated 18 August 1932.
Shrine of the Little Flower, Detroit, Michigan
The Shrine of the Little Flower is named in honor of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, who died of tuberculosis at the age of 24.
There is no description on the back of this card. This is an image of the second structure as it looked during construction. The building behind the tower was finished as two stories and includes a copper roof.
This was the home of the widely known Father Coughlin, who was a early supporter of the New Deal as outlined by Franklin Roosevelt, but broke with him early on when the new policies did not extend as far as he hoped.
This card was used and is dated 18 August 1932.