Greetings from Indiana

During the first half of the 20th century, nearly every store had a rack of postcards for sale. At a cost of one cent for the card itself, plus another cent for postage, the postcard was an efficient way to send a message. Household telephones were scarce, television wasn’t invented yet, and photography was prohibitively time-consuming and expensive for the average person. The postcard served as a means of communication that was quick, with the added bonus of an interesting picture that could be displayed or put into an album.

Depicting street scenes, landmarks, fine homes, and roadways, Greetings from Indiana charmingly captures the state’s rural and urban past. The points of origin range from Alexandria to Zionsville, representing 70 different Indiana communities. Handwritten messages by laborers, sales clerks, teachers, traveling salesmen, students, relatives, and others, as well as tourist promotions of the time, add further charm to this remarkable assembly of more than 250 vintage Hoosier postcards.

During the first half of the 20th century, nearly every store had a rack of postcards for sale. At a cost of one cent for the card itself, plus another cent for postage, the postcard was an efficient way to send a message. Household telephones were scarce, television wasn't invented yet, and photography was prohibitively time-consuming and expensive for the average person. The postcard served as a means of communication that was quick, with the added bonus of an interesting picture that could be displayed or put into an album.

Depicting street scenes, landmarks, fine homes, and roadways, Greetings from Indiana charmingly captures the state's rural and urban past. The points of origin range from Alexandria to Zionsville, representing 70 different Indiana communities. Handwritten messages by laborers, sales clerks, teachers, traveling salesmen, students, relatives, and others, as well as tourist promotions of the time, add further charm to this remarkable assembly of more than 250 vintage Hoosier postcards.

Robert Reed has written books on antiques and collectibles, including Advertising Postcards and Vintage Postcards of the Holidays. A retired journalist, he worked as a reporter, managing editor, and editor for 25 years. He also served as editor of the nationally recognized Antique Week magazine.