Now, if my memory serves, these two addresses are not that far apart. Here is what is on the other side of the card:
The state hospital in Poughkeepsie was for the mentally ill. One "friend" to another? Thought it was interesting that such a card was used to send a message such a short distance.
Why do I have that card? If you notice it is railroad-related, and the railroad that I model serviced the hospital by providing cars full of coal for the boiler plant.
Beyond that, I do have a question regarding the card. The cancellation year is hard to see, but it looks like 1938. The picture in the card looks from an older period. Now to me, that seems to be quite late usage for that stamp. Also was the correct amount of postage used?
They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. -Benjamin Franklin 23 May 2015 12:50:17am
re: Is There a Hidden Message Here?
I believe that it reads "1908." That would fit with the age of the card and the stamp.
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"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. -Edmund Burke"
That's what I first thought, but that "0" has a faint appearance of a "3". But I can live with the 1908. It probably fits the postage rate as well. I don't over-indulge with postal covers. Usually I buy them for my model railroading hobby, and they haven't seen postal service.
The cover is from 1908. Although the Franklin issue Scott 300 was out by that date in 1903, the color of the early releases of this stamp would be a much brighter green. The dark green is characteristic of the stamps towards the end of their run in 1908.
As far as a postcard being mailed locally, this was very common on a few grounds. First, there was no to limited phone service, and most mail would be delivered the very next day. In some business areas there were several deliveries a day. I have a card that was mailed from Newark NJ in the morning and received in Brooklyn, NY that afternoon. The message was between two lawyers confirming that the Newark one would be at the Brooklyn office for a meeting the next morning. This was how business was conducted back then, and shows how important the mails were in those days.
Also, in these days, postcards were the collecting fad. People were collecting, trading and putting them in photo albums. Figure that in this era it was uncommon to have color photographs, and collecting things from far away was appealing. Also to note, that people would trade by mailing the card. I have many that simply say "Another card for your collection". And because of that, very often the card is postmarked far away from it's origin.
The sender and receiver lived .9 mile apart per Google Maps. And on street view, the Main St address is long gone and is now part of the parking lot for a convalescent facility.
But here's 84 South Avenue where the receiver lived. I see a bunch of mailboxes so it's multifamily, but may have been a single family home in 1908. The handwriting on the card looks young, so I'm wondering if Ira was courting the young lady...
Ah! So this could have been young love in 1908... the fact that the card was saved by the young lady may mean that the courtship was successful? Complete lives lived and over, but the card still lives on!
And that folks, is why I love old covers!
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