A Vintage Collection of Presidential Postcards
Novelty postcards were very popular in the United States during the early to mid-twentieth century, sought after by Americans as they traveled from state to state or sea to shining sea. The heavy production of these simple, visually appealing, inexpensive objects of correspondence means that vintage postcards offer a diverse look into the places, events, and people that held American cultural value during the decades spanning the turn of the century and the beginning of the 1900s. Postcards were just as much an everyday collector’s item as they were a means of communication, so they were saved as opposed to being thrown away.
Just in time for Presidents’ Day – Monday, February 16, 2015 – we are happy to share with you our collection of presidential postcards, saved nearly a century ago by the Alpaugh family. The faces, inhabited spaces, and beloved places of a handful of our country’s more notable commanders-in-chief – including George Washington, James Buchanan, Ulysses S. Grant, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt – are represented here.
One can really see how the narratives of presidential lives are reinforced and reproduced by the imagery and thematic elements of the postcards. For example: When considered as a whole, the postcards showcasing “highlights” of President Theodore Roosevelt’s life reveal a lot about how he is remembered in history textbooks and about the notable personality elements we associate with his presidency and public life.
Click on the postcards below to view each of our 5 Presidential Postcard Collections.
George Washington
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James Buchanan
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Ulysses S. Grant
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William McKinley
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Theodore Roosevelt
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