Linen Postcards

Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "Lesher's Diner, Routes 11 & 15, 28 miles north of Harrisburg, 28 miles south of Sunbury, Liverpool, Penna. Breakfast, luncheon, dinner. Specializing in steaks, chops, sea-food. Home-made pastries baked in our kitchen, Have your car serviced at adjoining AMOCO Station while dining in our delightful diner. 24 hour service. Photography by James E. Hess. Pub. by Mellinger Studios, Lancaster, Penna."

As Wikipedia explains, " Spook Hill is a gravity hill (an optical illusion where cars appear to roll up the spooky hill) in Lake Wales, Florida." "Spook Hill, Lake Wales, Fla. It's weird! Fantastic! Stop on line. Release brakes. Watch for cars when you roll back. Prather's Laundry & Dry Cleaners. Watch for Prather's White Trucks." Description printed on the back of this postcard: "A few blocks from the heart of Lake Wales is that mystifying and fascinating phenomenon, Spook Hill. Here playful ghosts apparently seize your car and in defiance of the laws of gravity and your previous experience in such matters, roll your vehicle gently backward uphill, while they chortle in unholy glee at your mystification. Handwritten message: "Stayed here last night and went to Bok tower but it was so foggy. It is sunny now about 75 degrees. By the time this card is written we'll be in Miami. Torrey. Erna." No address, stamp, or postmark. Todd Franklin (Neato Coolville) also has a copy of this over on Flickr: Spook Hill Postcard .

"Tiny Town Bowling Alleys, Richmond, Virginia, 'The South's Most Modern Bowling Plant.'" Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "Tiny Town, America's most beautiful amusement centre, Richmond, Va., consisting of 27 H. Wagner and Adler High Speed, High Score all-maple alleys, acoustically treated, with concealed lighting. Second floor, Tantilla Garden, the South's most beautiful ballroom."

"301 Trailer Park and Grocery, U.S. 301, 5 miles north, Statesboro, Georgia." Handwritten on the back of this linen postcard: "We camped here twice in June 1966."

"Hotel Lincoln, Chambersburg, Pa. On the Lincoln Highway, U.S. 30." Printed on back: "MWM Color-Litho 'Bursheen' Finished, made only by MWM, Aurora, Mo."

"Chicago Public Libraries. Chicago Public Library, Newberry Library, John Cerar Library, Harper Memorial Library. Curt Teich & Co., Inc. 3B-H929."

An obstructed view for the Incredibly Boring Postcards group . "H-13. View of Underpass and First Methodist Church, Henderson, N.C." A linen postcard postmarked in Henderson, N.C., Jan. 6, 1958. Perhaps the underpass was intended to be the focus of this postcard, but it seems odd how it blocks the view of the church. Check out this recent Google Maps Street View of the same scene: Underpass and Church, Henderson, N.C. . For an unobstructed view of the church, see this image on Panoramio: First United Methodist Church, Henderson, NC .

"Grand View Point Hotel. See 3 states and 7 counties. Pa., Md., W. Va, 63 mile view from Grand View--Ship Hotel on Lincoln Highway, U.S. 30, 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa., looking into 3 states and 7 counties, 80 miles east of Pittsburgh, Pa. 4A-H1905." Printed on back: "Distributed by H. Paulson, Grand View-Ship Hotel, Central City, Pa."

"Grand View Point Hotel. Approaching S.S. Grand View Point Hotel on the Lincoln Highway, 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa. Elevation 2,464 feet. 3A-H421." Printed on back: "Grand View Point Hotel at the most beautiful spot in U.S. Summit of Allegheny Mts., 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa., on Historic Lincoln Highway, overlooking 3 states and 7 counties. Elevation 2,464 feet. Distributed by H. Paulson, Grand View-Ship Hotel, Central City, Pa."

A postcard used to promote the Crosley automobile during the 1939 New York World's Fair . Also on display at the fair were various other products, including refrigerators, washing machines, stoves, and radios, that were designed and manufactured by Powel Crosley, Jr. , and the Crosley Corporation. -------- Front: The Car of Tomorrow at the World of Tomorrow. As shown at the Crosley Building at the N.Y. World's Fair. Also the amazing Freezorcold Shelvador Refrigerator, Feather Touch Electric Magnetune Radios. See the newest of the new in home appliances at popular prices. Crosley Reado, facsimile radio printing. Crosley Camera, Press Jr. model, Gas and electric ranges. Electric and gas engine washers. Electric ironers. At Crosley Dealers everywhere. Back (printed not handwritten): My feet are no longer tired after what I've seen at the Crosley Building.

"The 14-Ton Giant Underwood Master, operating daily at the New York World's Fair, 1939. Underwood Elliott Fisher Company. Underwood, Elliott-Fisher, Sundstrand, Speed the World's Business, One Park Avenue, New York." As this linen postcard suggests, a huge Underwood typewriter attracted visitors at the New York World's Fair in 1939. For some amazing photographs of the oversized machine, see The Giant Underwood Master Typewriter , a posting on the History By Zim blog. Underwood Elliott-Fisher (originally the Underwood Typewriter Company ) also displayed a giant typewriter at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco in 1915 (see postcard image below). Printed on the back of this postcard: The Giant Underwood Master Typewriter The Largest in the World Operates daily at the Underwood Elliott Fisher Exhibit in the Business Systems and Insurance Building at the New York World's Fair. This huge machine, weighing 14 tons, is 1,728 times larger than the regular Underwood Master. It required 3 years to build. Each typebar weighs 45 pounds and the carriage alone weighs 3,500 pounds. Letters are typed on "stationery" measuring 9 by 12 feet, and the ribbon in the machine is 100 feet long and five inches wide. Two box cars were required to transport the Giant to the World's Fair.

A linen postcard with a close-up of a rattlesnake being "milked," which supplies venom for use in making antivenom . For another view of the procedure, take a look at a slide of a rattlesnake milking demonstration that also took place at Ross Allen's Reptile Institute in Silver Springs, Florida:

"Big Trout Inn, Weedville, Pa. Bar. Ballroom." Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "Big Trout Inn, Weedville, Pa. Leo and Rose Barbazzeni, props., welcome you to their spacious tavern, located on Route 255 near Weedville, Pa., in the heart of Pennsylvania's picturesque Alleghenies."

"Greetings from the St. Clair Cocktail Circle, the biggest little bar in all Chicago... and the most novel! " Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "The St. Clair. Rooms, studios. Chicago's distinguished hotel-home. Ideally located on near north side overlooking Lake Michigan, Outer Drive Bridge, Michigan Ave., etc. Air-conditioned restaurant and cocktail rooms. Ideal home for a day, a month, a year. Hotel St. Clair. 2B-H1202." Hotel St. Clair was built in 1927, and today it continues in business as the Inn of Chicago Magnificent Mile Hotel . I doubt that the St. Clair Cocktail Circle is still around, however.

Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "Ponce de Leon Hotel, Roanoke, Va. Located at the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Commerce Street, within easy walking distance of business and shopping district and of theatres. Every street car and every highway route passing through the city run within two squares of the Ponce de Leon. 200 beautiful outside rooms, each with individual bath, circulating ice water, and electric fan." The Ponce de Leon building in Roanoke is still standing, was recently refurbished, and now contains apartments and condos. Not to be confused with the Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida. See Lunch Menu, Hotel Ponce de Leon, St. Augustine, Florida, Feb. 26, 1888 :

The humorous multiple-choice postcard in the United States dates back to the early twentieth century when it was often called an "Australian ballot" (the early term used for a secret ballot , which was finally adopted by all states in time for the 1892 presidential election). Later, they were known as "busy person's correspondence cards" and "generic postcards." This version was printed on a colorful linen postcard for the 1939 New York World's Fair . The message and checkboxes appear in the center of the card, while nighttime views of fair buildings appear on either side, with the Trylon and Perisphere on the left and the Hall of Communications on the right. Greetings from New York World's Fair Dear: Wife, Husband, Sweetheart, Mother, Dad, Friend, Folks, Here I am at the world's fair: having a good time, making whoopee, doing the high spots. So far I have seen the: amusement center, various exhibits, music hall, fireworks, lecture halls. The fair is: exciting, thrilling, wonderful, amazing, dazzling, magnificent. I urge you: not to miss the fair, tell your friends, bring your family, bring your bankroll. I need: much more time, money, rest, loving, you. I am: lonesome, happy, homesick, thinking of you. I'd love to: stay on forever, have you with me, be with you, come home, visit you. Yours: with love, sincerely, forever.

Printed on the back of this linen advertising postcard: "The Moline Cafe. Best for many miles. Located center of city. Service--5:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Air-conditioned. Soda fountain. On main highway to Yellowstone Park. U.S. No. 10, No. 52, No. 281. OC-H373." Postmarks: Mandan, N.Dak., Aug. 10, 1951, and Lake Sheridan, Pa., Aug. 13, 1951. Handwritten message: "Thurs. noon. Dear Mom, Having lunch in this cafe. Very nice. Left Alexandria about 6:30 this A.M. You can really make time going thru here. No traffic--good strait roads. Flat as a dye. Love, Della."

"Lewis Motor Court. One mile south of twin tubes on U.S. 41. Chattanooga, Tenn." Sign at the top of the building closest to the road: "Lewis Modern Cabins." Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "Lewis Motor Court. 28 modern cottages, each equipped for comfort and convenience, quiet and only 7 minutes from city center. Telephone 2-9286. K 4893."