Thank you, , , , , , , , , , , and so many more of you for joining us today. I can’t tell you how much it means to us to see you join us from the outback of Australia to the coast of Nova Scotia. Your thoughts, comments, and encouragement are the glue that holds this community together.
Postcards at Kathy’s Corner!
Postcards seem to have crept into so many posts this year; it seems fitting that we close out the year with a very special pair of events in their tribute. -
This started with a Kathy’s Corner episode as part of her series about Mystery Photos:
Kathy’s Corner » Exploring Our Mystery Photos, Part 4: Timelines » April 2025
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As Projectkin, we’re hooked on family history stories. So often, these stories start with the artifacts, documents, and photographs left for us by our ancestors. In Kathy’s Corner, Kathy Stone, Projectkin member and long-time contributor, helps us sort through and make sense of these materials with insights learned in decades of experience as a professional photo …
Since then, we’ve seen several posts and programs that dove into postcards as artifacts of family history. In our talk today, Kathy highlighted three ways in which postcards can be important artifacts:
During the early 20th century, postcards were often a form factor for printed photos. These original photographs may have been saved as artifacts or sent through the mail. The postcard from the St. Louis World’s Fair I mentioned is just such an example.
A postcard that, though blank on the back, has opened up whole new chapters in family history. All rights reserved, from my personal Harger family collection. Does the card have writing on the back where the handwriting sample, stamp, or cancellation marking can provide date detail?
Does the postcard reference scenic locations such as a meeting, travel destination, or important location? In our conversation, Kathy referenced the Live Preview program she ran last month. As her special guest, she included Lori Olson White. It’s a fun episode if you missed it, but it was there that the seed was planted for this week’s postcard events. Here’s the clip referencing postcards of coffins.
Today’s preview gave
a chance to share a little of the why. Below are the links Kathy wanted to share with you.Postcard History Resources
History of Postcards
Postcard History
Wikipedia entry
The Postcard - A Brief History
How to Identify and Date Real Photo Vintage Postcards
How Old is Your Postcard?
Tips For Determining When a US Postcard was Published
Do you have other books, sites, or references you think others might benefit from? Please do share them in the notes.
In our conversation, we talked a little about the global range of this Projectkin community, and my offer to include you on our Members’ Map. As a bonus, I’ll also send you a postcard. 😉 If you’d like to participate, here’s the simple Google form:
As Kathy mentioned, our full program later this week includes a remarkable series of very short postcard stories of our special guests from around the world. This program is held over Zoom, so you will need to register.
If you’re unable to join us, we’ll of course include the details with the recording and notes. As a member, you will get the recording sent directly to your inbox. I hope you’ll join us. It promises to be a worthy celebration for this remarkable year. 🎉
Thank you again for all you do for the community — and your family. Preserving history isn’t just something we do for ourselves.
