Not long ago I bought a box of old postcards for what worked out to be 10 cents each. I haven’t done a complete survey, but most seem to be from 30 to 60 years old. Many are old hotel and motel cards; many others are destination cards. Some present an interesting subject artfully, others clearly fall into the Boring Postcards genre.

A few of them were mailed. Someone, decades ago, spent a few minutes composing a few lines to someone else far distant, stamped the thing, and dropped it in a mailbox or letter slot. The recipient presumably read it, looked at the image, and maybe even told the sender – when they met again in person – about getting the card. And that was probably that. Off to a shoebox or a drawer or somewhere and left to the vicissitudes of time.

Somehow, they were eventually among the cards that I acquired, even though none were originally sent to this part of the country. I’ve scanned four cards, all mailed in the 1950s. The first is dated and postmarked December 18, 1951, and sent it from Harlingen, Texas, addressed to Mr. & Mrs. C.L. Cahoon of Brockton, Mass.

All text sic.

12/18/51

We are already to leave Harlingen now and the car is packed to the top. As usual we brought more than we needed, but it has been fun. It has been cold here, but now is hot again. We went to Mexico Monday and thru the market district. It won’t be long now before you will see what we have purchased. Looking forward to X-mas and seeing you all and all our wedding gifts. Coming home thru the South to Sea Island Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, etc. Too much snow + ice up North for safety.  Love, Mary + Warren. See you in a week.

Young newlyweds maybe? Hope they made it back for Christmas. Postage, incidentally, was 1 cent. Two weeks later, on January 1, 1952, the penny postcard would be no more, with a 100 percent rate increase to 2 cents.