Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family
history through old photographs.
Last week I started on a story based on a postcard to
answer this week’s Sepia Saturday prompt. The card was from a resort in
Pennsylvania. There is little information about the resort, so I plowed forth
on a story about the sender. Frankly, it was a bit of a snooze-fest, but I was
committed.
Then Thursday afternoon I received a mysterious email from
the new owner of my grandparents’ house in Cradock letting me know she had found
5 boxes of STUFF belonging to my parents and grandparents. “I’m coming over
right now!” There are canceled checks from the 1930s, life insurance policies
purchased by my great-grandparents, my parents’ college notebooks and tests
complete with a signed Honor Code, and letters. LOTS of letters.
And these postcards.
 |
| Hershey Park, Hershey PA |
 |
| Atlantic City, NJ (love the humor in the lazy way to send a postcard message) |
They were from my mother’s BFF Betsy Ward. The dates got
me to thinking. June 14 and 15, 1948. As I suspected, on June 12, 1948, Betsy
married John Lumsden, a dental student at the Medical College of Virginia.
Admittedly, these postcards are quite handsome. So
artistic. So of the time. But the BACKS of the cards – now that’s where they
get interesting.
Back of Hershey Park card
We arrived here tonight in time for everything to be
closed even the Zoo! But we did see the amusement park. Made out fine at the
Statler. Had a nice room. We may leave for Atlantic City tomorrow but it all
depends how this place is.
Betsy & Johnny
Back of Atlantic City card
Mary E,
Weather is sad so no swimming. Walked the boardwalk but hitting
the spots tonight when I look 21 [Betsy was 19]. We are both fine but hungry so
must go eat. See you Friday. Hope you are holding out okay. Johnny’s in the
shower (cold water)
Love “Us”
The gem is the Hershey Park card with the added message
at the top: Wish you were here!
I bet Johnny loved that!
I don’t know about you, but I did not send out any
postcards while on my honeymoon.
The weather is fine at Sepia Saturday. Wish you were
there!
Wendy
© 2020, Wendy Mathias. All rights reserved.
Love the postcards and the messages on them.
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure to get boxes full of family things. Love the Hershey postcards as well as the messages.
ReplyDeleteYou must have been so excited to find out about those boxes. "I'll be right over!" made me smile. I would have, too! And the postcard of Hershey Park fit right in with the prompt. How fortuitous was that! :)
ReplyDeleteHow marvelous to get 5 boxes of family memorabilia like that. Delightful!
ReplyDeleteMomma and Betsy were true blue friends.
ReplyDeleteWhat a weird and wonderful find.
Wow what a find from your parents' place! Such a sweet set of postcards! I agree I didn't send out any postcards on my honeymoon but did call parents to say we had arrived safely at our location.
ReplyDeleteBetty
What a great surprise to get that call.
ReplyDeleteWow! what an amazing surprise email! I think I'd have gone straight over too, despite being 'locked-down' to within 2 kilometers of home. Looking forward to all the stories they tell.
ReplyDeleteBuried treasure? How often does that happen? My grandmother kept a similar box of postcards, some dating back to the 1900-10s from her parents. Most of the messages are like these, but priceless for their handwriting and voices.
ReplyDeleteI expect you will have much to share in the next months. Enjoy the trove!
ReplyDeleteGreat postcards. Would love to see Hersey Park today.
ReplyDeleteI seem to remember sending postcards on my honeymoon. But what I remember the most is wiring my dad after 2 days in Honolulu and asking him to send money. Ha!
ReplyDelete