What on earth do these two topics have to do with each other?  

On the surface, it seems like a bit of a stretch. But think about it: 

• what more affordable way to see a hometown the way it looked back in the 20's or 30's? 

• Or the courthouse that your great-grandparents went to for their marriage license...the old courthouse, not its modern replacement?

• What about that hotel, long since demolished, where your grandparents spent their honeymoon?

Many people saved the letters and postcards they received as keepsakes or mementos of the sender. Others would buy a postcard as an inexpensive reminder of a special journey. Real Photo postcards preserved pictures of families, family homes, hometowns and more. People often buy postcards just because they're pretty pictures when framed & hung on a wall or set on a shelf. 

Is it a memento of some special vacation? A picture of Uncle Joe's hometown cafe? Or just a reflection of their personal tastes or longings? No matter how or where you may find an old postcard, and whether or not you know the story behind it, you've probably found a little piece of a someone's personal history. Its existence today proves that someone, somewhere along the way, found it special enough to keep.  

Browse through this collection of vintage postcards by location of the postcard's picture or by the location of the addressee. You can also check the  index of names, which has the names of both the writer and the addressee (if the card was used).

Perhaps people will share their collections of treasured memories online - whether they're antique postcard collections or Great-Grandmother's scrapbook - and more of us will have a chance to connect a little bit of the past with a bit of today.

Gifts at Genealogy Fair! Absolutely unique selection of unusual goodies such as Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, original 19th-century newspapers, vintage postcards, and even gift certificates! Too much to list, so drop by Genealogy Fair and check it out!

Index of Locations
What landmark or city does the card depict? Where did the recipient live?

Index of Names
Who wrote the postcards? Who received the postcards? 

FAQ
About the postcards on these pages.

The MAY - CROWDER Family Collection

Articles:

Postcard Genealogy

Posts From the Past

Cavallini Landmark Postcard Gift Wrap Sheets

Will time spoil your postcard collection? See these  Archival Storage Products

Postcard Links
About postcards and postcard collecting in general.

From Alibris: Wish You Were Here: a Tour of America's Great Hotels During the Golden Age of the Picture Post Card

Search for Postal History Books at Alibris.

A Selection of  excellent Postcard Books  

Surf these Super Vintage & Collectible Postcard Web Rings

See The Victorian Scrapbook for my Vintage Photo Collection.

Some Favorite Postcard Sources:
eBay!
Register at eBay for FREE, and then search for that special view of your home town, the church your grandparents married in, or a favorite landmark. It's FUN!