The price of a stamp to mail a postcard in the early 1900s was just one penny.
Postcard sent from Morgantown. WV, February 14, 1913
Postcard sent from Annapolis, MD, February 12, 1909
These Valentine's Day postcards, part of a collection sent from around the region to Miss Irene Andris, have postmarks ranging from 1906 through 1913. Some include personal messages, but many are simply addressed to the recipient.
Irene Andris was the grandmother of a Library employee, who donated the collection to the Center for Local History.
Postcard sent from Morgantown. WV, date stamp illegible.
Postcard sent from Morgantown. WV, February 14, 10 a.m., no year.
The Center for Local History has a large collection of holiday-themed postcards from the early-to-mid 20th Century. There are also postcards for birthdays, New Year’s, Christmas, Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, and the Fourth of July.
The first American postcard was pressed in 1873. Postcards quickly became an inexpensive form of communication, growing in popularity throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries. The study and collection of postcards, which you've just learned a little bit about by reading this, is called Deltiology.
To see more of the postcard collection, or to learn more about Arlington's history, visit the Center for Local History on the first floor of the Central Library.
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