Real Photo Postcards

The two women on top of the Bald Eagle Lookout tower are posing for the photographer instead of viewing the mountains and valleys that are visible in the other direction. See below for the entire real photo postcard along with details showing close-ups of Uncle Tom and the Greyhound bus . Signs on the building: "Bald Eagle Lookout, see 75 miles, free tower." "See Bald Eagle, 1000 ft. below." "Free tower." "Coca Cola." "Uncle Tom's Cabin." "PeRo the ice cream, delicious."

The bus driver is posing for the photographer while the customer in the background purchases snacks or souvenirs at the counter. See below for the entire card and details showing Uncle Tom and the Bald Eagle Lookout . Bus: License plate 03219. Destination was Chicago. "Pennsylvania Greyhound Lines." "4188. New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit." "PRR" (keystone logo of the Pennsylvania Railroad). "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Co. Pa. P.S.C Certificate 19425." "Pennsylvania Greyhound Transit Company, carriers & operators."

A photo taken at the playground for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. This real photo postcard captures children in mid-swing on playground equipment at the Lost River State Park in West Virginia (mouse over the image above for a close-up view of the activity ). Workers from the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) helped to construct the park, which opened in 1937. The three young men on the right-hand side were caught in mid-stride as they walked toward the camera. Their uniforms, including neckties tucked into their shirts, suggest that they were CCC workers.

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

Wisconsin photographer Alfred Stanley Johnson, Jr., created this fanciful scene of Boy Scouts roasting a larger-than-life potato over a campfire and published it as a postcard in 1912. This copy of the card was addressed to Mrs. Galen Groff, Kirkwood, Lanc. Co., Pa., R.F.D. #1, and was postmarked in Quarryville, Pa., on October 7, 1913. Handwritten message: "Oct. 7, 1913. Dear Aunt, As Ernest said, we were to come down for chestnuts. I thought I would write and tell you that Roy and I will be down on Sun. if it suits you and it don't rain, but if it doesn't suit you please let me know as it will be all right. Maud E."

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of: come on in, the water's fine (people enjoying themselves--or not--in water) . "56. Floating in Dead Sea." A real photo postcard of a man posing with a book and umbrella in the Dead Sea , where the density of the salt water makes it easy to float.

Printed on the back: "The Dittrich Studio, 1107 Boardwalk, Atlantic City." For more like this, see my Mirror Photos album.

"Going Some! The Hum-dinger of Seattle." Written on the back of this real photo postcard: "May 6, 1913 in Seattle, Wash. To Bro. John" A studio photo depicting what appears to be alcohol-fueled nautical maneuvering in the vicinity of Seattle, Washington. Judging by a similar Hum-dinger photograph that's part of the Seattle Photograph Collection at the University of Washington Libraries, this photo came from the Joy Parlor Studio, which billed itself as "the home of the cowboy post cards" and was located at 207 2nd South in Seattle. For an uncropped copy of the photo postcard, see Going Some with the Humdinger of Seattle! (Full Version) .

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

A photo with decorative border or frame for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. "Reporting for diaper duty, sir!" With an elaborate border consisting of an eagle, flag, canons, bombs bursting in air, and other patriotic and military symbols, it's surprising that this real photo postcard features an image of a child rather than a soldier.

A real photo postcard printed with a decorative mask. The scrollwork and flowers in the design of the mask make it look like an elaborate picture frame.

A woman standing among the shrubbery is surrounded by the stylized scrolls and flowers of the decorative mask used to print this real photo postcard.

A photo of libraries or books for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. "Transport Mercury. Red Cross. From American Library Association for all men on board. Not to be opened until return voyage." This real photo postcard shows a photograph taken on board the USS Mercury , a United States Navy ship, as it transported troops home following the end of World War I. The sign on the left indicates that the American Library Association provided books for the troops. I located another photograph of this same scene that was taken from a different angle. This second photo was cataloged as NH 45345 by the Navy's Naval History and Heritage Command, and its description also applies to my real photo postcard: "Scene in troop spaces in a hold below the waterline, showing a card game in progress [why aren't they reading their books?], with banjo accompaniment [the banjo player's hands are partially visible at far right in my photo], circa 1918-1919. Note books at left, placed on board by the Red Cross and the American Library Association. Sign with the books indicates that the photo was taken as Mercury was transporting troops back to the U.S. from Europe after the World War I Armistice [November 11, 1918]."

A photo of nurses, doctors, or hospitals for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A little girl in a nurse costume on a real photo postcard by E. & K. Bolam, who were photographers in the seaside resort town of Ilfracombe , England. "Hospital Saturday" refers to a British fundraising method for hospitals that predated the National Health Service .

A watching photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. "#21. Industrial Parade, Old Home Week, July 26 to Aug. 1, 1914. Chambersburg, Pa. C. A. Laughlin." Spectators fill Memorial Square in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, as they watch a large piece of equipment pass by as part of the Industrial Parade that was held during Old Home Week in 1914. Photographer and postcard publisher Clyde A. Laughlin captured several different views of the parade and published a number of other real photo postcards besides this one. For another Laughlin photo from an earlier parade, see Hoch's Ice Cream Parlor Cow, Patriotic and Industrial Parade, Newburg, Pa., July 3, 1909 .

The boy posing with his bike on this real photo postcard is identified on the other side as "Lewis Metzler" and the location is indicated as "Williamsport, Pa." A date of "June 1921" is written on the front of the card (see the full version) .

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

A photo of horses, carriages, or wagons for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back: "I think [this was] taken at Guthrie farm." The AZO stamp box on the other side suggests a possible date as early as 1904 to 1918. This young fellow has placed his jacket on the ground to strike a jaunty pose in front of a wagon containing a bumper load of corn.