The Post Office approved the postcard in 1907 and they instantly became widely used. It was a popular way to communicate. Exotic vacation spots began to offer picture postcards depicting local scenery providing both a keepsake and a simple way to promote the location. Growing in popularity postcards were sold in tourist destinations around the world. In the United State they could be found in Hotels, Motels, Bars, Restaurants, Gas Stations and Gift Shops. Black and white postcards soon gave way to color Linen postcards. Photochrome color postcards quickly took over the marketplace around 1945.

A compendium and description of Linen Postcards produced in the United Staes from 1931 to 1959.49 pages of technical and historical information.102 pages of color scans of linen postcards.

This illustrated history of the colorized linen postcards of the 1930s and ’40s is “an incredible tour . . . A veritable treasure trove of American culture” (Crave Online). From the Great Depression through the early postwar years, any postcard sent in America was more than likely a “linen” card. Colorized in vivid, often exaggerated hues and printed on card stock embossed with a linen-like texture, linen postcards celebrated the American scene with views of majestic landscapes, modern cityscapes, roadside attractions, and other notable features. These colorful images portrayed the United States as shimmering with promise, quite unlike the black-and-white worlds of documentary photography or Life magazine. Linen postcards were enormously popular, with close to a billion printed and sold. Postcard America offers the first comprehensive study of these cards and their cultural significance. Drawing on the production files of Curt Teich & Co. of Chicago, the originator of linen postcards, Jeffrey L. Meikle reveals how photographic views were transformed into colorized postcard images—often by means of manipulation—adding and deleting details or collaging bits and pieces from several photos. He presents two extensive portfolios of postcards—landscapes and cityscapes—that comprise a representative iconography of linen postcard views. For each image, Meikle explains the postcard’s subject, describes aspects of its production, and places it in social and cultural contexts. In the concluding chapter, he shifts from historical interpretation to a contemporary viewpoint, considering nostalgia as a motive for collectors and others who are fascinated today by these striking images.

Illustrated with eighty vintage city postcards made between the turn of the twentieth century and through the 1970's (with the emphasis on the first four decades), historical geographer, John A Jakle turns his attention to early-twentieth-century nocturnal views of America's cities and to the role of the picture postcard in popular culture. 'Postcard images', the author writes, offered important visual 'fixes' -- mental templates for visualising cities -- the vista of a downtown street at night, or a bird's eye view of a vividly lit downtown, or the dramatic lighting of monuments and other architectural landmarks. As a result, the popularity and proliferation of the penny postcard influenced how Americans thought about cities as landscape displays.

In the mid-nineteenth century, a transportation industry developed in Reading that put the city on the mapand on the Monopoly boardforever. Founded in 1748 by William Penns sons Thomas and Richard, Reading experienced rapid growth throughout the nineteenth century as the Reading Railroad (the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad) breathed steam into the citys industry. As the powerful railroads faded later, so did the citys economy. In recent years, Reading has become known as the birthplace and capital of factory outlet shopping and the hub of newborn manufacturing, financial, and agricultural enterprises.

The beloved gift format that is 100 postcards in a box has never been more beautiful. The images include 100 rare portraits of exotic flowers, cacti and succulents from the world-renowned collection of the NY Botanical Garden. Printed on lush, uncoated stock to mimic the original paintings, these brilliantly colored postacrds can be mailed, framed or used in craft projects.