Using Postcards as Historical Evidence
Postcards as Evidence: Other
In addition to being created one by one, some companies produced sets of postcards when card collecting was at its peak during the early 1900s. Sets were designed in almost every imaginable category: historical events and famous men; presidents; state capitols; girls representing states, nations, cities, and colleges; horoscopic; military and naval; comic; and many others. These postcards often included little facts about the time or item represented in the postcard. In 1910 the St. Joseph Bohemian Orphanage (Lisle, IL) produced a booklet of souvenir views of the interior and exterior, students, and teachers. The set included 21 postcards and included little facts and descriptions in both Czech and English.
Another important aspect to remember when analyzing a postcard and its image is who sponsored it. Postcards were heavily sponsored by local business executives interested in boosting their city’s fortunes. In most places, business leaders came from the ranks of newspaper editors, retailers, and the manufacturing elite. Below is another image of Lisle’s Depot from the early 1900s. This postcard was published by J. L. Reidy. Reidy was a prominent businessman in Lisle who operated a dry goods store and other businesses in town.
Discussion Questions
- If you created a set of souvenir postcards for your town what would you include?
- If you owned a business would you create a postcard to promote part of your town? What is the purpose of creating a postcard?
