Postcards - Years 1948-1950

Postcard

To: Mr. and Mrs. Norman Lotrop
Kansas City, Mo.

From: R. A. and don

Postmarked: Richmond, VA.
July 9, 1948 11:30 AM

1 cent postage stamp
George Washington (1789-1797) facing to the right
Stamp reads “United States Postage”
Stamp reads “Build your future wisely safely U.S. Savings Bonds"

The front of the card reads, “Monticello: Home of Thomas Jefferson, Charlottesville, Va.”

Back of the card reads, "MONTICELLO, the home of Thomas Jefferson author of the ‘Declaration of Independence,’ planned and built in 1772. It is situated on a summit of a hill overlooking Charlottesville, Virginia, and is now the property of a Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation.”

Handwritten note, “Folks: We are on our way. Bern through Ky. - Tenn. N. Car. and now into Va. and on to Washington. All new to us and are taking in the sights. Chas. Is looking forward to seeing some big League Ball games. R A. and don.”

Across the top was handwritten, “Lots of Baptist Churches.”

Chas. was looking forward to seeing some Big League Ball games. They were headed to Kansas City, Missouri. The only Big League Ball game that was happening close to Kansas City, Missouri was on July 13, 1948 at the Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis, Missouri. The teams were American League and the National League. The following was the line up:

Vern Stephens, BOS, Birdie Tebbetts, BOS

Yogi Berra, NY, Lou Boudreau, CLE

Joe Coleman, PHI, Joe DiMaggio, NY

Joe Dobson, BOS, Bobby Doerr, BOS

Hoot Evers, DET, Bob Feller, CLE

Joe Gordon, CLE, Joe Haynes, CHI

Tommy Henrich, NY, George Kell, DET

Ken Keltner, CLE, Bob Lemon, CLE

Walt Masterson, George McQuinn, NY

Pat Mullin, DET Hal Newhouser, DET

Joe Page, NY, Vic Raschi, NY

Buddy Rosar, PHI, Mickey Vernon Ted Williams, BOS

Al Zarilla, STL

Richie Ashburn, PHI, Eddie Stanky, BOS

Bobby Thomson Ewell Blackwell, CIN, Ralph Branca, BKN

Harry Brecheen, STL ,alker Cooper Bob Elliott, BOS

Sid Gordon Frankie Gustine, PIT, Tommy Holmes, BOS

Buddy Kerr Ralph Kiner, PIT Marty Marion, STL

Phil Masi, BOS, Clyde McCullough, CHI

Johnny Mize Stan Musial, STL, Andy Pafko, CHI

Pee wee Reese, BKN, Elmer Riddle, PIT

Bill Rigney Johnny Sain, BOS, Johnny Schmitz, CHI

Red Schoendienst, STL, Enos Slaughter, STL

Eddie Waitkus, CHI

There are some big names; Yogi Berra and Joe DiMaggio on the board. There were 34,009 people in attendance that day. The wild pitch of the day was from Vic Raschi of New York and the Long Player was Johnny Schmitz of Chicago. The American League won with the score of 5-2.

We lost Babe Ruth that year to throat cancer on August 16, 1948. There were approximately 10 million television in the American homes in 1949. Could find no record of this games being televised. On April 16, 1948 WGN out of Chicago televised their first big league game. The card says “seeing” so we can rule out the radio.

The statement “Lots of Baptist Churches.” caught my attention. What was happening in the world of the Baptist Churches. In 1925 they had formed new alliance called the “Baptist World Alliance.” It was made up of 218 churches and unions with 41 million people. This is 1948 and not much was happening in the world of Baptist churches. Baptist churches began in Rhode Island and grew heavily in the New England states. They could have just been interested because there were so many, since the Southern States and Southern Baptist Churches were further apart because of the mass territory which makes up the South.

There is a lot happening in the world in 1948. The cold war (1947 to 1991) has started. Israel become a nation on May 14, 1948. The economy was starting to stabilize and people were getting out and traveling. They were also spending money on entertainment such as Big League Baseball.

Postcard

To: R. Glianda
Richmond, Calf.

From: Pusci

Postmark: Sequoia National Park, Calif.
Postage: Air Mail 5 cents
October 13, 1948, 2:30 p.m.,

Printed on the front of the Postcard, “1 of 4 Mora Rock Sequoia Nat’l Park”

Handwritten on the back, “Just opposite Mt. Whitney, Highest Point in America. Just climbed this! Scenic treats, galore. Love, Pusci.”

Moro Rock is a dome-shaped granite rock made of sheets of rock layers which are not joined. The elevation is 6,725 ft., Moro Rock is in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. There is a 797 foot long stairway and 400 steps you can walk to reach the summit. In 2010 it was stated that,"it is often disappointing to climb to the summit because you cannot see for the air pollution." In 1948 "Pusci" would have enjoyed a lovely view. Mt. Whitney is mentioned on the Postcard. Mt. Whitney is the highest summit in the United States. Its elevation is 14,505 feet or 3,285 miles. It is also located in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range and made of granite.

Mt. Whitney cannot be seen from Moro Rock. Pusci may have seen sequoia tree that were over 3,000 years old. He definitely had lots of scenic treats. I would say that Pusci loved the mountains. During the winters Moro Rock is closed to the public so October 13 was a good time to visit.

Postcard

To: Mr. Earl Lashley
Sedalia, Missouri

From: Wilbert

Postage 1 cent of George Washington facing right
Saturday, January 15, 1949
Mojave, California
11 a.m. 1949

Front of the Postcard “Frozen Assets J85” There is a stamp in the lower right corner “Frasher’s of Pomona, California.”

Back of the Postcard handwritten reads, “Saturday, And I ain’t lying. We have driven thru everything only little over 300 miles from Frisco(San Francisco, Ca) going in today.”

It is recorded that in 1949 California had a 100% day of lower than average temperatures. They had 51 consultative days of cooler than average weather the winter of 1949. January 5th begin the lowest at 27 degrees F. The cold spell was from January 1 to February 20.

The non-postage stamp on the front of the post card was from Frasher’s Foto of Pomona, California. Burton Frasher (July 25, 1888 to April 24, 1955) was the founder of Frasher‘s Foto. He took pictures in Black and White. In 1948 over 3 ½ million “Frasher Foto” Post Cards were sold nationwide. During the depression Burton Frasher and the Frasher Foto was one of the most prominent publishers of Postcards on the West Coast.

Postcard
To: Mr. and Mrs. Frank Winfrey
Independence, Missouri

From: Melba
Nashville, Tenn.
Oct. 1, 1950

Postmark: Nashville, Tenn.
Oct. 2, 1950 1 pm

Postage stamp: George Washington facing right
1 cent
Postmark stamp says, “Give enough through your community chest.”

Front of the Postcard, “Greeting from Nashville” “Curt Teich and Company, Inc.”

Back of Postcard, “Dear Papa and Mother, Here I am in Tennessee. I like Tennessee better than Kentucky. The publishing house is really a nice place. I’m enjoying teachers’ meeting. We have one more day. I’m enjoying staying with a girl from Union. Love, Melba.” “I hope your throat is a lot better, Mother.” “Nashville, Tenn. Oct. 1, 1950.”

The Postcard was made by Curt Teich Co. of Chicago, Ill. (1898 to 1978)
They were noted for their vivid colors and bold style. They were the world’s largest printer of view and advertising postcards. The Tennessee on this post card is definitely bold in style and vivid in color.

The one publishing company I could find that had location in both Kentucky and Tennessee in the 1950’s is United Methodist Publishing House. The Kentucky location was not a publishing house, but a store called Cokesbury. I could find no reference to “teachers’ meetings,” but it is apparent that they were given training.

There is a Southwestern Company which recruited college students to sell printed materials that started in 1855. It has location in both Kentucky and Tennessee. They still recruit to this day. They have training similar to what she describes, but they are not called a publishing house.

The way Melba says, “girl from Union.” I am assuming it is a place her parents would know, such as Union, Missouri. There is 215 miles between Union, Missouri and Independence, Missouri. This statement makes me lean toward The Southwestern Company as the place these ladies were working for, since it was their practice to recruit college students. It also makes sense that if they were selling printed materials they could have a place that they do the publishing of those items.

In America the nation was still hanging on from inflation. The economy was on the rise. This young lady feeling the effects from WWII and women being in the work force, women having more rights outside the home, and women being educated was seeking work in Kentucky and Tennessee when home was Independence, Missouri.

In these postcards we go on two vacations, one 300 mile trip during some crazy weather and we hear from Melba who is a long way from home learning how to make a living for herself. These cards cover the years 1948, 1949 and 1950.