Alan Mays' photos

Although I originally acquired this card because I liked the border around "Patron" on the front, I discovered that the signature on the back appears to be that of Grace Livingston Hill (1865–1947), a prolific author of Christian romance fiction.

"To Alan, Best wishes, Lorett." When I visited the sideshow at the York Fair in York, Pa., in the mid-1980s, I purchased this card from a tattooed woman, "Lorett," who also autographed it for me. Years later, I was able to identify her as Lorett Fulkerson, and I discovered how lucky I was to meet her. As Amelia Klem Osterud explains in her book, The Tattooed Lady: A History (Speck Press, 2009), p. 2, "Tattooed ladies graced sideshow and carnival stages until 1995, when the last performing tattooed lady, Lorett Fulkerson, retired from the carnival circuit at age eighty." Lorett Fulkerson was at least seventy years old when I met her at the York Fair. Sadly, she died in 2007 at the age of ninety-two. When I posted this over on Flickr , one of Lorett's grandchildren added a comment, and another person even provided some more recent color photos of Lorett.

"At Edwards' Animal Show, Joe the Chimpanzee is holding receptions daily."

A recipient of this Fourth of July postcard in 1907 would have recognized this puzzling array of fireworks as a parody of then-President Theodore Roosevelt 's facial features. The lit firecrackers and smoke portray Roosevelt's toothy grin and moustache, the two interconnected diamond-shaped arrangements represent his characteristic pince-nez glasses , and the cavalry hat with the crossed sabers reflect his service in the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War. Even the "D'lighted" caption for the scene of the boy lighting the fireworks derives from Roosevelt's frequent use of "Dee-lighted!," which along with "Bully!" was one of his favorite exclamations.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the topic of bring on the clowns or any other circus performer . "Greetings from the Biggest Couple with the Greatest Show on Earth. Fischer. A-132. Campbell's Photo Art, Dayton. Ohio." Mr. and Mrs. Fischer were billed as the "world's tallest married couple" when they appeared with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus ("The Greatest Show on Earth"). Head over to The Tallest Man Web site to see postcards and other memorabilia on separate pages for Gottlieb Fischer and Elfriede Fischer .

Pass issued in 1935 by The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company (TMER&L. Co.), which operated streetcar lines in Milwaukee until the 1950s. "The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company. Within the single fare areas of Milwaukee and Racine only. Good from 5:00 a.m. Sunday until 5:00 a.m. the following Sunday. Not good on Wisconsin Motor Bus Lines. Pass must be shown on demand. 32273. July 4, 1776. 27. June 30 to July 6, 1935 incl. $1 weekly pass S. B. Way, president."

"Fotograph your boy before the 4th of July: you may not get a chance after." Macabre photographic advice from an early twentieth-century postcard. For more dark humor about Fourth of July fireworks, see The Glorious 4th of July / The 5th of July :

"It's the same guy 3 times!" is what the dealer wrote on the back of this real photo postcard. Someone else--perhaps the fellow who posed as the checker-playing threesome--added a handwritten poem on the other side: When days are dull And from work we are free, oh I like to play a little game Especially with my trio! Here's the uncropped version of the card:

For more information, see the cropped version of this real photo postcard:

A photo of the family car for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Well, I guess these family members are pretty much ready to go for a ride in the car, but I suppose they should get that broken headlight fixed if they plan to be out after dark (mouse over the image for an enlargement of the automobile and its occupants). Anyone recognize the make and model of the car?

See also the full version of this real photo postcard:

Uncle Sam and some boys use fireworks and a cannon to break through a gigantic American flag in order to deliver a message of "Hurrah for the Fourth of July." See below for some more Fourth of July postcards.