Archive for the ‘Michigan’ Category

THE LIGHTHOUSE AT EAGLE HARBOR – A VINTAGE POSTCARD

Saturday, October 24th, 2009

This is the final postcard in the Michigan series.

20091024 LIGHTHOUSE

This “real photographic postcard” was mailed to my Great Aunt, Mame Robinson,  in 1930.  Real photo postcards are actual photographs printed onto postcard stock.  The card is titled, Light House, Eagle Harbor.  The post mark indicates that Eagle Harbor is in Michigan.

The message (hard to read but I’ll try) is My Dear Mamie  I am on my way to Florencin (?).  I brought my car this far and will leave it here and take the boat on to Cleveland and  (?) on.  I stopped off at Lake  (?) .  Intending (?) to visit dear Mother Graves.  Love Ge. . . (?)

This postcard was published by the Co-Mo Co. of Minneapolis.

A note about the photo – If I had been the photographer, I would have righted the rocking chair by the side of the building.

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1905 DETROIT – A PANORAMIC POSTCARD VIEW

Friday, October 23rd, 2009

Postcard #6 in the Detroit series.

20091023 PANORAMA

Now that I know where to find the date on these Detroit Publishing Co. postcard I can say with authority that this is from 1905.  The title on the card says that this view is from the Majestic Building looking East.  The dark area in the image – Bottom Center – puzzles me.  Is it the shadow of the Majestic ? Is an area of very dark buildings – or what?

In the picture, it looks like most of the vehicles are still horse drawn – There is perhaps one auto, entering the side street on the right side.

There is a postcard number, 9449.

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DETROIT MUSEUM OF ART – A VINTAGE POSTCARD

Thursday, October 22nd, 2009

Postcard #5 in the Michigan series.

20091022 museum

This beautifully printed postcard depicts the Detroit Museum of Art.  It was probably printed in the early years of the 20th century as it does not have a split back for a message.  The split back became legal in 1907.  This unused postcard has the appearance of a hand colored, German made postcard.  There is, however, no Made in Germany mark or any indication that it is hand colored.

I goggled the Detroit Museum of Art and found an image of a building of about the same vintage as this one but does not look like the building pictured here.

Ah ha!  With my magnifing glass, I just found a copyright date of 1906, so I am correct in my guess at the date.  The postcard was published by Detroit Publishing Co and it has a card number, 7162.

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A POSTCARD FROM OWOSSO – 1941

Wednesday, October 21st, 2009

Postcard #4 in the Michigan series.

20091021 CURWOOD

This postcard is dated May 9, 1941, addressed to Mrs Clara Chapell in Sacramento, California.  I cannot identify Mrs. Chapell as a relative but the address on the card is my Grandparents home in Sacramento.  Perhaps she was a visiting friend from Michigan.

The message on the postcard is:  “May 9 – 41  Dear Friend.  Was glad to hear from you, It is quite cool here today.  I am trying to clean house Mrs Smith has been helping me, my arm is not alright yet.  Mrs. Saks, Clara & family called on us Sunday.  Norma looks pale, but is gaining.  Mrs. Crins”.

The image on the card is titled, James Oliver Curwood Chateau, Owosso, Mich.  According to Wikipedia, Curwood was an prolific author and outdoorsman.  He wrote numerous adventure books, many were made into movies.

He fufilled a lifelong ambition and built, for his home in Owosso, this French (style) Chateau.  The Chateau does not contain any eating or sleeping areas.  He used the great room to entertain guests and the largest turret as his writing studio.

The publisher of this postcard is not named but there is an ‘M’ in a logo on the back.  The card is marked Made in U.S.A. and the card number is 20383.

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A VIEW OF THE DETROIT POST OFFICE

Tuesday, October 20th, 2009

This is the third postcard in this Michigan series.

20091020 Library

This beautifully printed postcard view of the Public Library in Detroit is marked Germany.  There is a copyright date of 1904 which corresponds to the style of the back.  Postal regulations at that time did not allow the correspondent to write a message on the address side of the card.  So, if this card had been used, the message would have to written on the face of it.

The postcard was published by the Rotograph Co., the card number is D-3840.

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A POSTCARD FROM DETROIT

Monday, October 19th, 2009

This is postcard #2 in the Michigan series.

20091019 BELLE ISLE

This unused postcard has a copyright date of 1903.  The image is titled, “Canoeing at Belle Isle, Detroit, Mich.  According to wikipedia, Belle Isle is an island in the Detroit river.  The park was designed by Frederick Olmsted in the 1880s.  Present attractions on the island include the Dossin Great Lakes  Museum, the Detroit Yacht Club, a golf course and a Coast Guard Station.

This beautiful postcard was published by Detroit Photographic and there is a card number, 7368.

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A POSTCARD FROM ALPENA, MICHIGAN

Sunday, October 18th, 2009

This is the first in a series of seven vintage postcards from the State of Michigan.

20081018 ALPENA

The title on this 1910 postcard is City Hall, Alpena Mich and U.S. Fish Hatchery.  I suppose the hatchery is the small building to the left side.  I googled the town of Alpena and find it has about 12,000 people (2000) and is located on Lake Huron on Thunder Bay.

This postcard is addressed to my Great Aunt, Mame Robinson.  It is signed by “Cousin Allie”  I have now idea who Allie is or what the relationship is.  The message on the postcard is: “Alpena Mich  8/15/10  Dear Mamie  I will add on card to your number of postals.  We are all well and hope you are all enjoying the Sause (?)  blessings. We went down to mothers yesterday  mother was 67 years old.  She is not-a-bit well. She works to hard.  with love  Cousin Allie”.

This postcard was published by Adam’s Book Store and has a number 15.  It is also marked, Made in Germany.  There is an additional number, probably a photo number on the face of the card – 457686.

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