The postcard is likely from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The divided back in use after 1902, the series # 5305 implying a very large number of cards in the series and the geographic location allowing easy train travel to ST. Louis are consistent with this theory. Also, the 1904 World Fair was likely the only venue in the area to have a reconstructed Venetian Gondola ride with the possible exception of Chicago.
Oh, thank you for the information! I didn't delve into researching the card itself much after I spent so much time on the one that used human hair, lol. My knowledge of postcard series and marks is scant, so this does help me to understand those numbers a bit more. I would love to know where Sabray purchased the card. I imagined it being for sale in the town general store in southern Illinois; it must have seemed very exotic at the time.
If they were not well off, they may have even worked there. Thousands of people from southern Illinois staffed the food and drink venues and sold products like post cards. I just found the one I was thinking of and posted on Notes to compare. Liberal Arts building with a canal and gondola in the picture. Substack would not allow me to post the photo directly as a reply.
The train from Campbell Hill to St. Louis is gone but you can still see the rail bed from Google Earth. Fifteen thousand fair workers crammed into shanty towns or boarding houses best they could. Brutal twelve hour shifts but the money was OK. I think also rural young people wanted to be part of the excitement and even a bad job for low wages put you into the action.
Thank you so much. I truly enjoy discovering the lives of the people behind these postcards. They are tiny clues to the full lives of the people who sent them so long ago.
Oh my... these posts are such a remarkable snapshot into a life at a particular time.
It is amazing how much of one's life can be discovered starting with a postcard sent one afternoon in their life.
The postcard is likely from the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. The divided back in use after 1902, the series # 5305 implying a very large number of cards in the series and the geographic location allowing easy train travel to ST. Louis are consistent with this theory. Also, the 1904 World Fair was likely the only venue in the area to have a reconstructed Venetian Gondola ride with the possible exception of Chicago.
Oh, thank you for the information! I didn't delve into researching the card itself much after I spent so much time on the one that used human hair, lol. My knowledge of postcard series and marks is scant, so this does help me to understand those numbers a bit more. I would love to know where Sabray purchased the card. I imagined it being for sale in the town general store in southern Illinois; it must have seemed very exotic at the time.
Probably purchased at the fair. Many rural folks worked at the fair. A family member from pinckneyville worked there and mailed similar postcards.
It would be interesting to know if the Underwood family visited the Fair, but that we'll probably never know for certain.
If they were not well off, they may have even worked there. Thousands of people from southern Illinois staffed the food and drink venues and sold products like post cards. I just found the one I was thinking of and posted on Notes to compare. Liberal Arts building with a canal and gondola in the picture. Substack would not allow me to post the photo directly as a reply.
It could be. Noah worked for the railroad for most of his life but this would have been early on.
The train from Campbell Hill to St. Louis is gone but you can still see the rail bed from Google Earth. Fifteen thousand fair workers crammed into shanty towns or boarding houses best they could. Brutal twelve hour shifts but the money was OK. I think also rural young people wanted to be part of the excitement and even a bad job for low wages put you into the action.
Another post card with gondolas.
This is like stepping back in time and such a beautiful read I absolutely love this idea thank you for sharing this with us.
Thank you so much. I truly enjoy discovering the lives of the people behind these postcards. They are tiny clues to the full lives of the people who sent them so long ago.
I find these inspirational ideas like this absolutely wonderful and I will certainly be on the look out for more of your postcard stories
I appreciate that, Paul. I do have a few more in the lineup.
These are always such fun to read - thanks! And this was required different colored yarns just to keep everyone straight l
Oh, I know! More than once, I said to myself, "Ok, I need to stop, I don't have to unravel every single person." Also to myself, "Yes, you do."
Amazed by how much you discovered from this postcard. Fascinating!