Postcards: Postcards From The Past

By Joseph Ould | June 19, 2007

For ancestors who lived during the 20th century, postcards are a delightful way to learn more about their lives and communities. Picture postcards were very popular worldwide by the dawn of the 20th century due to their novelty and the fact that postage was cheap. From automobiles to street scenes and hairstyles to people, postcards provide intriguing glimpses into the past.

If you are lucky enough to have postcards sent or received by your ancestors you may learn unknown information about the family, gain handwriting samples and even find addresses to help you track family movements and history. Even if you aren’t fortunate enough to have access to a family postcard collection, you can often find postcards depicting your ancestor’s hometown, clothing styles of the time period, types of employment etc.

A good place to start is with the local historical society or library in the area in which your ancestor lived or at local antique stores. Many postcard collections are also beginning to spring up on the internet. Look to postcards as a wonderful alternative to photographs for illuminating the lives of your ancestors and of days gone by.

A postal historian collects for the way a stamp is used and postmarked. A postmark is the way to determine the place and date the post card was sent from although postmarks are often used as cancellations.

Town and city views, another popular postcard subject, show courthouses, schools, streets and post offices. They’re available for both US and European localities, and can be a way of connecting with your ancestors even if they didn’t send the postcards themselves. People have researched and found churches where ancestors have married, schools they attended and places they visited. These items are priceless!

Did your ancestor write down and pass on stories that were otherwise lost or distorted by failing memories and word-of-mouth recollections? The written word survives long beyond man’s ability to recall.

Imagine the enjoyment you will get learning thoughts and wisdom of someone you never got the chance to know as a child. Heart warming to say the least. Your ancestors words are the most precious gift of all especially for a surviving loved one or generations yet to come.

Collect what you like and how you like to collect! You can find them everywhere especially in old attics, garage sales and flea markets, antique shops and stamp shops, gas stations and hotels. Collecting Post Cards is a great hobby and one that can be passed on from generation to generation to share your past travels, interests and history with your family.

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