He Can Eat Just About Anything Now

Postmarked 26 August 1952

Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Postcard Caption:

"Amish" Going to Market, Lancaster County, Pa.

Postcard Message:

Dear ---, Ines and I just got done with my ironing. Want to go to market(?) Ray went to D-S Mon and he can eat just about anything now course he must be careful but I'm so glad he seems better. More cheerful. He pushed the mower yesterday and it didn't seem to hurt him. You didn't tell me what time you will be in on sat eve. I'll order your ham today so they will be sure and have it on Fr. See you soon. / Love Lola

The Amish who settled in Lancaster County over 300 years ago still reside there living by the same traditions, including transportation by horse-drawn carriage. 

First Electric Light

Uncirculated
Published by E. Madciff

Postcard caption:

The Edison Hotel at Fourth and Market Sts., stands on the location on which Thomas A. Edison illuminated the first building in the world with incandescent electric light. The plaque at the entrance to the hotel tells the story.

According to the Interweb, the installation was successfully demonstrated on July 4, 1883 at Sunbury's City Hotel. In honor of the event, the hotel was renamed the Edison Hotel.

Sunbury's History

The Hotel Edison today:


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Both Cars Full

Postmarked 30 June 1952
Lavallette, New Jersey

Caption:

GAP VIEW INN
Stroudsburg's Smartest Bar
Route 611
Between Stroudsburg and Delaware Water Gap
Cabins, Grill, and Dining Room
Most beautiful view of the Gap

Message:

Dear Mom, Both cars full ate here on way down. Leslie very good so far. Tom and friends got 109 mackerel about 2 miles out yesterday. Having some tonight. JD comes Wed. night. How is violet? Love, Me

Nothing Planned Except Trips to the Dentist

Postmarked 3 June 1947
Meadville, Pennsylvania

Message:

Am having a grand(?) time wading around in the rain - It just pours every day- glad I have nothing planned except trips to the dentist. Am flying back Saturday afternoon and will be seeing you soon. Love, AnneLouise

Market Street from Eleventh

Postmarked 1 June 1918
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Here's the same view today:

Happy? Well, Keep Smiling

Postmarked 31 May 1949
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Message:

5.28.49 Hello kid, every one Happy well keep smiling I am feeling OK. there is lots to write about but is sort of hard to write but will get around after while maby. Have been through about all tests I guess didn't do much today. / Ernie F.

Grant Building History

"When it was built in 1928, the Grant Building was the tallest and most prestigious building in the City of Pittsburgh. It is on Grant Street's premier business location, adjacent to the City-County Building and Allegheny County Courthouse.

Renowned architect Henry Hornbostel, created a building in the classic Beaux Arts style to compete with the great high rises of the early twentieth century. Developers spared no expense, cladding the building in Swedish Granite at its base and topping the building with a flamboyant neon tower that spells out P-I-T-T-S-B-U-R-G-H in Morse Code. Like the Empire State Building, the Grant Building with its mast helped aviators to locate their way. Both buildings became iconic symbols of their cities."

If the Phone Strike is Off

Postmarked 14, 1952

Postcard Caption:

THE WILLS' HOUSE, PUBLIC SQUARE, GETTYSBURG, PA. was the home of Judge David Wills, who was host to President Abraham Lincoln on November 19th, 1863, and it was here that the President penned his immortal address. The room is now open as a museum.

Postcard Message:

Dear Dad-/ I have been sightseeing today in Gettysburg with Ruth. Tomorrow I'll go to Washington, and Thursday to Stanley's. Saw Kenneth's family on Easter Sunday. / I'll call Sunday P.M. from Chicago IF the phone strike is off. / Lots of love to you, Alice

I am most intrigued about the phone strike; I cannot find much information about it, though I did find a photo of "telephone girls" at a protest meeting in 1952 and a clip from a newspaper that mentioned the strike.

The David Wills House opened in 2009 as a property of the National Park Service.

I Shall Mail This at Utica

Postmarked 17 November 1910

Postcard Caption:

Pic-Nic Day at Hershey Park
Hershey Chocolate Co. Hershey Pa.

Postcard Message:

Thursday / It is now 5:45 p.m. and we are at Philadelphia, but not Phila. Pa. yet. I took the 4 hour train to Morriston this time and will be in N.Y. about 5 to-morrow morning. I shall mail this at Utica N.Y. to-night if I can. / Pin that key I left on the hall table (red ribbon on it) to my pin cushion I have another with me. /  -- a lot of snow along here and rather cold weather. Expect to reach Phila about 11 a.m. to-morrow. If I did not want to go anywhere in N.Y. I could have got there about 8 or 0. / --

The dimensions of this card are about 2-1/2 x 5-1/2

Don't Let Any of the Girls Get Ahead of You

Postmarked 20 October 1947
---, Pennsylvania

POSTCARD CAPTION:

FRONT: Cathedral of Learning and Foster Memorial / University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
BACK: The Cathedral of Learning, the pride of the billion dollar Oakland Civic Center, reaches a height of 42 stories and is the only skyscraper university in the world.

MESSAGE:

Hello Keith - / How is your arithmetic coming? Don't let any of the girls get ahead of you. If mother asks you to help you'll do it while I am away, won't you? / Love from Daddy

Here's an earlier post with a different postcard featuring the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning.

The Handsomest Building I Ever Saw

Uncirculated
Published by J. B. Hoffman
Printed by Curteich (early 1930s)

According to the Pennsylvania State Capitol's website, at the October 4, 1906 dedication ceremony for the building, President Theodore Roosevelt called the structure "the handsomest building I ever saw." Philadelphia architect Joseph Hutson designed the building in American Renaissance style, but the dome was inspired by Michaelangelo's design for St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial bridge was completed in 1930.

Boating on the Delaware

Postmarked 16 September 1948
Bartsonville, Pennsylvania
Published by Stroudsburg Glass Co. Stroudsburg, Pa.

Postcard Caption:

Boating on the Delaware - Delaware Water Gap, PA.

Message:

September 13, 1948 / I'm having a swell time. How are you all? How's Carl hope he's well and happy in school. / See you soon / Love Ada and Geo.

Thanks to Beth at the Best Hearts are Crunchy for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday!

Livsey House | Penbrook, Pennsylvania

Postmarked June 22, 1908
Penbrook, Pennsylvania

Message:

Penbrook, PA June 29, 1908 / Kind friend We were down at Phila over Sunday. Came home last evening. Had a nice but was very warm. We are all well hope you are the same From Mr. and Mrs. J.G. F--

Philadelphia City Hall

Postmarked 8 June 1943
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Postcard Caption:

CITY HALL covers an area of 4-1/2 acres and has a floor space of 14-1/2 acres. The height of the tower is 548 feet and the width of the base is 90 feet. The site upon which the building stands was originally Center Square, and was, early in the 19th Century, the site of the original water works.

Message:

Verdie

Although construction of Philadelphia's City Hall lasted from 1871-1901, the site of the building was in William Penn's original 1682 plan for the city.

City Hall History


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The Hills Aren't Hills but Mountains

Postmarked 28 December 1950
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Message:

Hi Mibs! / I wish you could be here in Pittsburgh with me. This morning the temperature was 2 below and was it cold! The hills out here aren't hills but mountains! Notice the small hills on the front of the card? some are like this ∩ only real high! Be seeing you soon. / Love, "Margie" V.

About Jones and Laughlin Steel (from the University of Pittsburgh Library):

The Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation was one of the largest iron and steel manufacturers in the United States during the late nineteenth to mid-twentieth centuries. Jones and Laughlin grew out of the American Iron Works, founded by John and Bernard Lauth in September 1853. Benjamin F. Jones later bought one-quarter controlling interest in the firm. In 1861, the Lauths sold off their shares to Jones. James Laughlin, who owned a rolling mill across the river in Hazelwood, bought into the company, and it was renamed Jones & Laughlin Steel Company. The company expanded its production capacity in 1909 with a new plant in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, twenty-six miles down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh. The company remained independent until 1974 it merged with Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV). All production facilities were closed by 1989.

Horticulture Hall

Postmarked 9 September 1907
Philadelphia, PA

See this post for another view of Horticulture Fall, in Philadelphia's Fairmont Park. This building was destroyed in a fire. What a shame; it's beautiful.

Fairmount Park | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sunken Gardens and Lily Pond, Horticulture Hall



Postmarked 7 August 1957
Philadelphia, PA

Message:

Dear Pat: / How are you? I hope you are fine. / Having a wonderful trip. / We made the trip (629 miles). By way of the turnpike. / Boy is it ever hot here. Not like Michigan. / Love, Virginia Hakes / P.S. Will write again soon.

Finding information about Horticulture Hall was more difficult than I imagined. It seems that the original Hall burned down and was replaced by the Horticulture Center. I don't know if the Sunken Gardens and Lily Pond were affected by the fire or if they were simply replaced by other exhibits.


Fairmount Park, Philadelphia

Sleepy Hollow

No, not that Sleepy Hollow! This Sleepy Hollow was part of Roadside America, the largest known miniature village in existence. The village is still in operation today in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. I wouldn't count on seeing this model, though!



Uncirculated
Issued 1920s-1940s