It's in the Mail: Family History Through Historical Postcards

Using Historical Postcards to Illustrate Your Family Story

Historical postcards offer a unique window into your ancestors' worlds. And Ancestry collections of postcards can provide rich visuals of the places your family members visited or resided, building a realistic picture of their lives. You might even see the bustling town center or seaside your great-grandmother frequented in 1903.

Also, if you have family letters with descriptions of the local countryside or tales about family trips to visit historic sites, postcards from these places can be used to provide backdrops for real-life stories.

Begin your explorations in the Ancestry^® U.S. Historical Postcards collection or the Canada Historical Postcards collection collection. Between those two collections—and the following country-specific ones—you can search or browse through over 300,000 postcards:

• Mexico
• Australia
• Italy
• United Kingdom & Ireland
• Sweden
• France
• Germany & Austria

Timeline of Postcard History: Understanding When Different Types of Postcards Were Made

Are postcards part of your family memorabilia? Postcards that have been mailed typically have a date stamp on them, but what about those that were never mailed—the undated ones? Knowing some basic facts about the history of the postcard can help you identify the era for the cards in your family archive.

The First Use of Postcards and Postal Cards in the United States

From 1848-1870, Americans communicated using mailed cards in envelopes printed with pictures—a trend that may have inspired the first postcard in the world. Your cards from this period are rare artifacts.

On June 8, 1872, Congress gave the Postmaster General power to issue postal cards with cheaper postage and set standard dimensions. Government cards had exclusive rights to the term "postal cards," while private printers used the term "postcards."

The first postal cards were sold on May 12, 1873, in Springfield, Massachusetts. You may find reference to them in family letters or journals as "mail cards" or "souvenir cards."

Private Mailing Card Era: The Undivided Back

To tell private postcards apart from their government counterparts in this era, look for the "Private Mailing Card" designation. You can also identify cards from this period by the back side, which was reserved for addresses—no personal messages were allowed. The front was blank or printed with an image.

From 1901-1907, the government allowed private printers to replace the "Private Mailing Card" classifier with "Post Card." The layout remained unchanged.

Divided Back Period: The Golden Age of Postcards

In March 1907, the government allowed both privately printed and government-issued postcards to use the familiar divided-back layout that's still popular today. The left half had space for a written message; the right side held addresses. With the front free, beautiful, edge-to-edge images covered the space, ushering in the Golden Age of Postcards.

Even if your ancestors didn't send postcards during this time, you can still use Ancestry collections to visualize their travels. Did your second great-grandfather ride the transcontinental railroad in 1910? Look for historical postcards of the sights he passed.

White Border Period: Simplifying the Design

When World War I started, American printers took over postcard production from German printers. They had lower-quality equipment and less experience, which led to a drop in postcard quality. Look at cards from 1915-1930 to see two changes: a white, ink-saving border and an image description.

Linen Period: Vibrant Colors and Artistic Flourishes

Your family's postcards from 1930-1945 probably look and feel noticeably different than earlier versions. That's because of Curt Teich, a Chicago printer who pioneered the use of paper with a higher rag content. With improved printing processes and new paper, printers made postcards look like linen. The era's brighter dyes also produced vivid images.

Photochrom Period: Capturing the World in Color

The photochrom postcard arrived in 1945, delighting people with color photos and a glossy finish. These cards remained popular until electronic communication took over in the 1990s. They're a wonderful way to trace your ancestor's travels and see how tourist attractions have evolved since World War II.

Discover Your Family History Through Postcards of the Past

Historical documents like postcards can provide insightful details about your family. Paired with images from the Ancestry collections of maps, atlases, and gazetteers, you can find a range of visual artifacts that help tell the story about your ancestors and the places they lived. To start your family history search, sign up for a free Ancestry trial today.