Series II. Postcards, circa 1906-1955

In the United States, the first mailable postcards appeared in 1873. These early "Postal Mailing Cards" were pre-stamped and government issued, until the Private Mailing Card Act of 1898 allowed for the independent production of postcards (called "Private Mailing Cards" until 1901, when the government first permitted privately-issued postcards to use the words "Post Card" on their reverse side). Until 1907, postcards had no "divided backs," as all messages for the addressee were allowed only on the face of the card--often in a designated message box. The advent of Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, contributed to the immense popularity of "view cards" (or "picture postcards"), which sparked a postcard-collecting craze throughout the country, reaching its zenith in 1915. Following World War I, the postcard industry (previously dominated by German production) flourished in the United States, with millions of postcards produced, mailed, and collected annually. Today, postcards from the past continue to fascinate us, offering a compelling window into topographical and social history.

The postcards in this series have been arranged thematically with subject titles assigned by the collector. Place Banner postcards are arranged alphabetically by city.