Several years ago, when I was writing a blog post about my great-great-grandfather’s tin shop, I really wanted to find a photo of the small town where he had his first shop. The best photo that I found actually came from an old postcard from 1908. It was for sale for a few dollars on eBay, so I bought it! Since then, I’ve been on the lookout for old postcards that depict places where my ancestors lived. It is fascinating to imagine my relatives strolling down those old dirt roads or visiting those long-gone businesses.
In the past several years, my postcard collection has grown to about 900 postcards. Most of these postcards are from Northern and Central Illinois, where many branches of my family are from, but there are also other categories that relate to my interests, such as historic trees, libraries, and steam engines. I decided that these unique cards were too good to keep all to myself, so I scanned the oldest ones and organized them into an online collection. See the whole collection here!
Please enjoy a gallery of a few of my favorites!
My oldest postcard – from 1904! It depicts the Northern Illinois State Normal School, now called Northern Illinois University.
A man and his dog in a Genoa Lumber Co. car. Taken in 1915 on Main Street in Genoa.
Leich Electric Company, where my grandma worked at one time. Photo from about 1953.
Photo postcard of A.W. King Dry Goods, and sent by the owner to one of his customers to inform her of new products at his store!
Mount Bloom Cemetery, where my 3rd great-grandmother Elizabeth Garrett Holbrook and other relatives are buried.
Field Day at Addison Normal School, May 27, 1911. My great-grandfather George Weil is seated just to the left of the center pole.
I love old postcards that depict old libraries – and I love this one with the carriages waiting in the front.
Some librarians in the Bindery Department at St. Louis Public Library in 1915.
Postcard sent to my great-grandfather George Weil in 1912. This depicts his old hometown and was sent by a family friend to inform him of her father’s passing.
My great-grandfather Glenn Kaiser was in the Army during WWI, and was stationed at Camp MacArthur for basic training just one month after this photo was taken.
My grandmother was stationed at Pensacola while she was in the WAVES during WWII. After purchasing this postcard, I found an identical one that she had saved in one of her scrapbooks.
Every year my family attends a local Steam Power Show, and it’s interesting to see how proud the farmers were of their strong new machines!
The Family History Librarian 