Past Travels

I remember coming home from school and watching The Donna Reed Show on Nick at Nite in the 80s. I so wanted to grow up and be just like her. Well the life of a 1950’s housewife is no longer in my future but I am still fascinated with all things retro and antique.

Luckily my parents have great saving habits so I’ve acquired a few antique items that used to belong to my grandma but I have only recently discovered the delightful experience of antiquing. Thanks to Dave Woodson‘s recommendation, I went antiquing in La Porte, IN this past weekend and came back with three great items.

My first find was a pair of gently used ice skates with a red & black houndstooth lining. It’s going to be a perfect Christmas decoration and it only cost $5. How could I pass that up?

My other two items are vintage postcards. I just loved thumbing through stacks of postcards, reading all of their messages and reliving their trips from decades ago. There’s something special about getting in the car and driving across the country. It’s the only way to experience a real road trip. 

The first postcard I bought was sent from Tampa on November 29, 1955. What caught my eye on this post card was the detail of their trip. They traveled 1,305 miles, used 61 gallons of gas, 8 quarts of oil and had one blowout tire. It also says that they took Route 231, which runs from St. John, IN to Panama City, FL.

The second postcard is of a daffodil field in Puyallup Valley, Washington, and has Mount Rainier in the background. It’s no secret that I love Seattle and the Pacific Northwest. Frankly, that’s what first caught my eye but it was the message that made me buy this card. Irma, the sender, had been to Yellowstone Park, saw Old Faithful “in action” and was so enthusiastic about her trip. She even starts out with “Oh am I having fun!” The card was sent on August 9, 1937. You can read her message easily in this Flickr photo.

I’ve created a Flickr set of my postcard collection and will definitely be adding more to it. I hope you’ve enjoyed them as much as I have!