Michael Bartels and James Reisdorff 96 pages softcover
Jotting a message on a penny post card at the turn of the 20th century
was an American tradition. A plain card was inadequate for many
travelers, who wished to share something of their journey or description
with the recipient. In addition to carrying messages, picture post
cards or view cards became an art form themselves, sought by collectors
then and now. And railroads, as the dominant form of transportation
during the card craze, were a prime subject. Railroad depots became one
of the most popular images, as they were one of the first things an
arriving traveler saw of a town, and were otherwise a busy portal for
any community which depended on the daily experience of "train time," to
provide it with essential transportation services. While most of the
old depots are gone, as are many of the railroad lines themselves, their
images are eagerly sought by post card collectors. Here is a look at
the golden era of the railroad station and train travel in one Midwest
state, Nebraska, as depicted on post cards from the 1900-1915 era.
Includes more than 100 historic postcard images.
