Avenida São João – São Paulo Brazil

Today, I'd like to share another vintage postcard from my grandparents' collection.

This postcard shows Avenida São João, which is a road in downtown São Paulo, Brazil.

The handwriting on the back of the postcard says:

Edwin
Parabeus!
Felicidades!
Carminha, Edwin, Henrique and Antonieta

It was written in Portuguese. According to Google Translate, this is the translation:

Edwin,
Congratulations!
Cheers!
Carminha, Edwin, Henrique and Antonieta

It doesn't look like the postcard was sent in the mail as there is no stamp or address. I wonder if it was hand-delivered by someone visiting, or if it was sent in an envelope.

Whatever the case may be, it's an interesting postcard. Just look at all of those vintage cars in the picture. So cool!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jana

© 2016 Copyright by Jana Iverson Last, All Rights Reserved

Smit's Service Station in South Dakota

"Fill Up Your Tank And Your Tummy Too At Smit's Service." That's what the sign says on the roof of the white building in this photo postcard published by O'Neill Photo Co.

I really love this postcard. My grandparents, Debs and Willis Webster, and their family must have purchased this photo postcard during their cross-country trip in the summer of 1952.

In July of 1952, they immigrated to the United States from Brazil, traveling on the ocean liner SS Brazil. Sometime after their arrival in New York, the Webster family bought a car and some camping equipment and traveled across the United States toward their final destination in Southern California.

My mom remembers that during this trip they traveled through Badlands National Park and visited Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota.

It was difficult to figure out where the photo in this postcard was taken. The closest location I can come up with is Geddes, South Dakota. The writing at the bottom of the postcard looks like it says "Gedds, So. Dak." or "Geods, So. Dak." but those places don't exist. But, there is a Geddes, South Dakota.

The red pin on this Google Map is where Geddes, South Dakota is located. It's east of the Missouri River. The red arrow is pointing to Badlands National Park. And the blue arrow is pointing to the approximate location of Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

The postcard also has the words "Wheeler Bridle" or "Wheeler Bridge" written on it. Interestingly, there is a North Wheeler Recreation Area located at 2908 N. Wheeler Road in Geddes, South Dakota.

I searched for 2908 N. Wheeler Road in Geddes, South Dakota in Google Maps and this is what I found. The red pin is where this address is located, near North Wheeler Recreation Area.

I'm so glad my grandparents purchased and then saved so many postcards from their travels.

Thanks for stopping by!

© 2015 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Panorama del Puente, Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico

In 1955 my maternal grandparents traveled to Mexico to visit family. They went to Mexico City and to Chiapas. They must have bought this postcard while they were there. This postcard shows a bridge somewhere in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico.

I thought it would be interesting to zoom in on different areas of the postcard to get a better view.



Check out that classic car on the bridge!



Here's a close-up of the sign on the bridge. I believe it reads as follows, although I'm not sure about the year number on the far right.

1913  Puente 1934?
Dr. Belisario Dominguez



It looks like the bridge was named for Dr. Belisario Dominguez, who according to Wikipedia, was a physician and politician in Mexico. He was born in Chiapas. To read more about him, click HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!


© 2015 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Vale Do Anhangabau,Sao Paulo, Brazil

This is a postcard from Brazil that was apparently sent to my grandparents during the Christmas season many years ago. Unfortunately, there's no date on the postcard, so I don't know when it was sent or how old the postcard is. But, it's a beautiful postcard with vibrant colors.

My grandparents, Debs and Willis Webster, and their family immigrated to the United States from Brazil in the summer of 1952. They traveled to New York on the ocean liner S.S. Brazil. They purchased a car and some camping equipment and traveled across the United States toward their final destination in California. They took photos and collected postcards along the way. If you'd like to read about their trip, click HERE.

They still had some family left in Brazil, including the person who sent this postcard.

He wrote:

Debs and family

Merry Christmas and

Happy New Year

"Right"?

Nene

The postcard shows the Vale Do Anhangabau in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I did a search online to see what I could find about the Vale Do Anhangabau. According to an article on Wikipedia, it is a park or public space. I also found this photo on Wikimedia Commons. It's amazing because it looks like the same overpass and the building with the decorative ledge are shown in the postcard too.

Photo by Dornicke - Wikimedia Commons

The description for this photo on the Wikimedia Commons website says the following: "Edifício Matarazzo, sede da Prefeitura de São Paulo, visto do Vale do Anhangabaú. São Paulo, Brasil." Google Translate provided me with the following translation: "Matarazzo building, headquarters of the Municipality of São Paulo, as Anhangabaú Valley. Sao Paulo, Brazil."

I did a further search online for the Matarazzo Building and found another article on Wikipedia about this building. According to the article the Matarazzo Building is the City Hall building for Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Thanks for stopping by!

And Merry Christmas!


© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Union Station at Night ~ Los Angeles, California

This is a 1941 Curt Teich "C.T. Art-Colortone" linen vintage postcard. It was published by the Western Publishing & Novelty Co., Los Angeles, California.

The postcard shows Union Station in Los Angeles, California. Union Station opened in May of 1939 and is still in use today. In fact, according to an article on Wikipedia, Union Station is "…the largest railroad passenger terminal in the Western United States." Union Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

I found this awesome photo of Union Station on the Wikimedia Commons website. Union Station is the red-roofed building in the foreground of the photo.

Union Station - Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Basil D. Soufi

At the bottom left side of the front of the postcard are the words: "Terminal Annex Post Office in Background." It looks like this refers to the white or cream building just to the left of Union Station.

I did an online search for the Terminal Annex Post Office and found an article on Wikipedia. The article stated that the building was completed in 1940. It also said that it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

This is a picture of the Terminal Annex Post Office building.

Terminal Annex Post Office Building - Wikimedia Commons
Photo by Los Angeles

The typed description from the back of the postcard says:

Typical of California, beautiful and spacious, the Los Angeles Union Station is one of the most attractive in the country. Built at a cost of $11,000,000, in a setting of unusual beauty, it typifies to visitors, the charm and hospitality of Los Angeles and Southern California.

Thanks for stopping by!



© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

"The Golden West" The California Coast

Isn't this a beautiful postcard? It depicts a gorgeous sunset somewhere along the Southern California coast. This vintage linen postcard was manufactured by Longshaw Card Co., Los Angeles, California.

When my grandparents and their family emigrated from Brazil to the United States in 1952, they settled in sunny Southern California. I wonder if they bought this postcard not too long after they arrived.

Typed description from back of postcard:

Nowhere in the world will more spectacular sunsets be seen than on the southern coast of California. The vivid hues and the changing colors make the "Golden West" truly named.

Thanks for stopping by!


© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Copacabana – Rio's Most Beautiful and Frequented Beach

My grandparents have several Varig Airlines vintage postcards in their collection. I shared three of them in previous posts . You can see them by clicking HERE, HERE, and HERE.

The Varig Airlines postcard I'm sharing with you today shows Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Typed Postcard Description:

COPACABANA is not only Rio's most beautiful and most frequented beach, but also a great tourist and shopping center with modern hotels and a bustling night life.

I was able to find this beautiful photo of Copacabana Beach on the Wikimedia Commons website.

Copacabana Beach 2010 - Photo by chensiyuan - Wikimedia Commons

Thanks for stopping by!


© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Villa Riviera and Pacific Coast Club ~ Long Beach, California

This is a 1941 Curt Teich "C.T. Art-Colortone" vintage postcard from my grandparents' collection. It was published by the Western Publishing & Novelty Co., Los Angeles, California.

The postcard shows the Villa Riviera and Pacific Coast Club in Long Beach, California. I did a little research online and found that the Villa Riviera (the tall building in the postcard) officially opened in 1929 as a hotel. Today it houses condominiums. The building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. You can read more about the Villa Riviera building, including the building's history by clicking HERE and HERE.

This is a picture of the Villa Riviera building found on the Wikimedia Commons website. The photo was taken in 2009.

Villa Riviera Building
Wikimedia Commons
Author: Los Angeles

From what I read online, the Pacific Coast Club pictured on this vintage postcard is no longer standing. It was demolished in 1988.

Typed description from back of postcard:

Long Beach is justly proud of one of the finest and most popular bathing beaches on the California Coast. Many fine hotels, apartment houses, beach clubs, and homes, front on this delightful shore, in full view to the resort activities.

Thanks for stopping by!


© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Pomona First Federal Savings and Loan Association

This is a Mirro-Krome vintage postcard by the H. S. Crocker Co., Inc. of San Francisco, California. The postcard was sent to my grandmother, Willis Quillin Webster, when she and her family lived in Pomona, California.

I don't know if this advertising postcard successfully persuaded my Webster grandparents to use this financial institution or not.

This is what the typed postcard description at the top left corner of the postcard says:

Does a financial institution have to be on a corner to be successful? Pomona First Federal Savings and Loan Association says "No". After more than 60 years of successful operation in its convenient middle-of-the-block location at 260 South Thomas Street, Pomona, California, Pomona First Federal has grown to assets of over $28,000,000. Your new savings account here may be opened in person or by mail.

And here's the printed invitation contained in the message portion of the postcard:

Dear Friend:

You are cordially invited to join the more than 9800 of your neighbors who are now saving here with insured safety. Your account is welcome. Latest dividend at 3-1/2% annual rate.

Sincerely,

F. B. Palmer, President

I typed the address for the Pomona First Federal Savings and Loan Association listed on this postcard in Google Maps and the image below is what I found. The building on the far right with the green trim is 261 South Thomas Street, one number away from the address listed on this postcard for Pomona First Federal Savings and Loan. And the number 281 is in the middle of the taller building. It's interesting to see how areas change over the years.

Google Maps

My grandparents have another vintage postcard in their collection that shows part of Pomona, California. I'll share that postcard in a future post.

Thanks for stopping by!


© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Prickly Pear Cactus

This vintage postcard really is fun and special because it's a valuable piece of my family history. It was sent to my mom and her brothers by their parents (my grandparents) in July of 1955. My grandparents had taken a trip to visit family in Mexico and sent this postcard to their children during their trip. I've blurred the names of my mom and her brothers for privacy reasons.

Written message from my grandparents.

July 9, 1955

We drove all night and everything is fine. It is now 7 A.M. and we stoped [sic] at a cafe at Gila Bend. It is desert here and it is about 100 miles from Tucson Arizona. We are having a wonderful time. Be always good kids.

Mommy & Daddy

The postcard was published by Bob Petley, Phoenix, Arizona.

Typed description from back of postcard.

PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS

This common desert cactus, one of the first to bloom each spring, has blossoms ranging from very light yellow to deep red. They hold their blossoms longer than any other of the desert flora.

Thanks for stopping by!


© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Recife – The Biggest City of Northeast Brazil

In a previous post I shared a Varig Airlines vintage postcard showing the Via Anchieta Highway in Brazil. Today I'm sharing another Varig Airlines postcard from my grandparents' collection.

This postcard shows a part of Recife, Brazil. Recife is the capital of the state of Pernambuco. It's also one of the largest cities in Brazil.

This map from Google Maps shows where Recife is located in Brazil.



Written description on the back of the postcard:

RECIFE is the biggest city of Northeast Brazil. Located on the coast and being intersected by two rivers, it is called the Brazilian Venice.

I found this photo on the Wikimedia Commons website. Isn't Recife beautiful?

Recife, Brazil - Photo by Americo Nunes
Wikimedia Commons
Creative Commons License

And here's another beautiful photo of Recife from the Wikimedia Commons website.

Recife, Brazil - Photo by gjofili
Wikimedia Commons
Creative Commons License

I'll be sharing more Varig Airlines vintage postcards from my grandparents' collection in future posts.

Thanks for stopping by!


© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Via Anchieta Highway ~ Brazil

This vintage postcard from my grandparents' collection shows the Via Anchieta Highway in Brazil. The postcard was printed in Brazil, but it looks like my grandparents purchased it in San Francisco because of the stamp on the back of the postcard.

My grandparents have several Varig Airlines postcards in their collection. I shared one of them in a previous post. You can see it by clicking HERE.

Written description on the back of the postcard:

Portuguese:

VIA ANCHIETA, moderna estrada de rodagem que liga Sao Paulo a Santos, atravessa a Serra do Mar e descortina ao viajante belissima paisagem.

English:

The modern VIA ANCHIETA highway, that connects the most important city of Brazil – Sao Paulo – with its busiest port – Santos – carries the traveller through the mountains unveiling beautiful landscapes.

I will share more of the Varig Airlines postcards from my grandparents' collection in future posts.

Thanks for stopping by!


© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

Bronze Cast Typifying "Mormon Hand-Cart" Pioneers en route to Salt Lake City in 1856

Today is Pioneer Day in Utah. It's a state holiday that celebrates the day Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also celebrate Pioneer Day outside of Utah as well.

Not only did Mormon pioneers use wagons to cross the plains as they traveled to the Salt Lake Valley, some of them used handcarts like the one shown in this postcard. Handcarts were a less expensive alternative to wagons.

The handcart pioneers placed their belongings in their handcart and walked 1,000+ miles across the plains to the Salt Lake Valley, which is an amazing thing to me. It shows the great faith and courage these handcart pioneers had.

This postcard is a 1939 genuine Curt Teich "C.T. Art-Colortone vintage postcard.

Transcription from postcard description:

The Hand-cart migration was a distinct movement in Western pioneer travel. From 1856 to 1861 nearly 4,000 people crossed the plains on foot. Men and women pushed or pulled their Hand-carts for 1,000 miles between the Missouri River and Salt Lake City. The Hand-cart companies brought to the State artisans, traders, agriculturists, blacksmiths, and men learned in the professions.

________________________

Nor gold nor glory their exalted quest,

who won for East the wide unconquered West.

They toiled o'er frozen crest, o'er parching plain

Eternal wealth in higher worlds to gain.

Forever in remembrance let them be, who gave

their all for truth and liberty.

                               Orson F. Whitney

Thanks for stopping by!

© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved