Northeast Florida Regional Postcard Collection, 1858-2019
Collection context
Summary
- Extent:
- 1.92 Linear Feet
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Northeast Florida Regional Postcard Collection, Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.
Background
- Scope and content:
This collection contains postcards related to Northeast Florida's agricultural, shipping, manufacturing, and tourism industries and is part of a larger ephemera collection related to region. The collection was donated over several years by UNF library staff. Postcards range in date from the late 19th century through the late 20th century, with the bulk dates falling between 1900 and 1950. The collection is arranged alphabetically by series and chronologically within each series. Series in this collection include the following:
Series 1- Advertising Cards (arranged chronologically) contains business advertisement cards from Northeast Florida business and organizations.
Series 2- Agriculture (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting the agricultural industry in Northeast Florida
Series 3- Airports (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting Jacksonville International Airport and local municipal airports in Northeast Florida.
Series 4- Alligator Farm; Jacksonville, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting scenes from the Alligator farm, an early 20th century tourist attraction in Jacksonville, Florida.
Series 5- Atlantic Beach, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting panoramic views of Atlantic Beach, local hotels, and other tourist attractions.
Series 6- Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting steamer ships owned by the Clyde Line, commercial shipping docks, and views of the intracoastal waterway.
Series 7- Bank Buildings (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting the Florida National Bank, Atlantic National Bank, Barnett First National Bank, and other local Northeast Florida Bank buildings.
Series 8- Bridges (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting local Jacksonville, Florida bridges, including the Fuller Warren Bridge, Main Street Bridge, Matthews Bridge, Napolean Bonaparte Broward Bridge, and Hart Bridge.
Series 9- Buildings (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting buildings in downtown Jacksonville, including structures of architectural significance like the St. James Building and the Shriners Temple.
Series 10- Church Buildings (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting churches of different denominations, including Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopal, in the Northeast Florida area.
Series 11- Clubs (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting Jacksonville area athletic and social clubs. Examples include the Seminole Club, Fort George Club, Masonic Temple, and San Jose Golf Club.
Series 12- Cumberland Island, Georgia (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting Thomas M. Carnegie's home, Dungeness.
Series 13- Dixieland Park; Jacksonville, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting early 20th century tourist attraction on the Southbank of Jacksonville.
Series 14- Docks and Shipping (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting scenes of commercial shipping docks and steamer ships on the St Johns River in downtown Jacksonville.
Series 15- Dwellings (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting private residences in the Riverside, Springfield, Mandarin, and Ortega neighborhoods of Jacksonville.
Series 16- Epping Forest; Jacksonville, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting the mansion of Alfred I. du Pont, now the Epping Forest Yacht Club.
Series 17- Eustis, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting photographic postcard taken in Eustis, Florida.
Series 18- Fernandina Beach, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting businesses, municipal buildings, hotels, private residences, and beach scenes.
Series 19- Florida Ostrich Farm; Jacksonville, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting tourist attraction popular in the early 20th century, with scenes of the farm with birds and ostriches racing.
Series 20- Fort Clinch State Park, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting structures and ruins of the Civil War fort near Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach.
Series 21- Friendship Park; Jacksonville, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting Friendship fountain and the downtown Jacksonville skyline across from the park located on the Southbank.
Series 22- Gardens (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting scenes of plants native to Northeast Florida and Cummer Museum and Gardens.
Series 23- General (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting a variety of scenes of locations in Jacksonville, cards printed by local printer H&WB Drew Company, and cards addressed to Jacksonville addresses.
Series 24- Green Cove Springs, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting Springs, the bathing pavilion, and the Qui-Si-Sana Hotel and Health Spa.
Series 25- Hemming Park; Jacksonville, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting the grounds and businesses surrounding the park, known today as James Weldon Johnson Park.
Series 26- Highways (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting several multi-lane highways and expressways in Jacksonville.
Series 27- Hilliard, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting a hotel located in Hilliard, Florida near the Florida/Georgia Border.
Series 28- Hospitals (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting Jacksonville area hospitals, including St. Vincent's Hospital, De Soto Sanatorium, St. Luke's Hospital, and Brewster Hospital.
Series 29- Hotels (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting Jacksonville area hotels, including Hotel Burbridge, Hotel Roosevelt, Aragon Hotel, and Windsor Hotel.
Series 30- Jacksonville Beach, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting scenes of local businesses, hotels, restaurants, and beaches.
Series 31- Keystone Heights, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting a hotel in Keystone Heights, Florida.
Series 32- Kingsley Plantation; Fort George Island, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting National Park Kingsley Plantation on Fort George Island.
Series 33- Library Buildings (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting the exteriors of Jacksonville area public library buildings.
Series 34- Marineland, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting aerial views of Marineland Studios, dolphins, and businesses at the historic tourist attraction.
Series 35- Military Bases (arranged chronologically) contains photographic postcards depicting Camp Foster, founded as a work camp during the Great Depression, Camp Blanding Army Camp, and Camp Joseph E. Johnston.
Series 36- Mining (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting phosphate mining in Florida.
Series 37- Monuments (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting monuments in the Jacksonville area.
Series 38- Motels (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting mid-20th century tourist motels in the Jacksonville area along U.S. Highway 1.
Series 39- Museums (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting artwork from the collections of the Cummer Museum in the Riverside neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida.
Series 40- Naval Air Station; Jacksonville, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting structures at Mayport, Cecil Field, and Jacksonville Naval Air stations.
Series 41- Neptune Beach, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting scenes of beach front at Neptune Beach.
Series 42- Orange Park, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting structures at Moosehaven Retirement Community located in Orange Park, Florida on the St. Johns River.
Series 43- Oriental Gardens; Jacksonville, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting scenes from the former tourist attraction located on San Jose Boulevard.
Series 44- Parks (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting historic images of parks in various Jacksonville neighborhoods, including Riverside and Springfield parks.
Series 45- Persons (arranged chronologically) contains photographic postcards depicting portraits of visitors to Jacksonville.
Series 46- Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting views of structures on the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club.
Series 47- Post Office Building (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting early 20th century Federal Post Office in downtown Jacksonville.
Series 48- Public Buildings (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting various municipal buildings including the original Duval County Courthouse, The Armory, and the Civic Auditorium of Jacksonville.
Series 49- Restaurants (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting Jacksonville area restaurants.
Series 50- St. Augustine, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting businesses, tourist attractions, and historic sites in St. Augustine, Florida
Series 51- St. Johns River, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting scenes from the St. Johns River,
Series 52- Sanford, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting a steamer ship in Sanford, Florida.
Series 53- Schools (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting school buildings in the Jacksonville area including Central Grammar School, Duval High School, Edward Waters College.
Series 54- Silver Springs, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting a scene of glass-bottom boats at the springs.
Series 55- Souvenir Postcard Booklets (arranged chronologically) contains multi-postcard booklets depicting scenes from Northeast Florida.
Series 56- Streets (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting street views in downtown Jacksonville, and the Riverside and Springfield neighborhoods.
Series 57- Theaters (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting the Palace and New Palace theaters.
Series 58- Trailer Camps (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting scenes of tourist trailer campgrounds near Jacksonville.
Series 59- Trees (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting various species of trees native to Northeast Florida and the famous Treaty Oak live oak tree located in Jesse Ball duPont Park.
Series 60- Turpentine Industry (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting scenes of turpentine camps in Northeast Florida.
Series 61- Union Station (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting various scenes of the historic Union Station in Downtown Jacksonville, now the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.
Series 62- Universities and Colleges (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting Jacksonville University, University of North Florida, and Edward Waters College campuses.
Series 63- Viaducts/Trains (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting railroad viaducts and close-up depictions of train engines.
Series 64- Waterfronts (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting various views of the Jacksonville skyline as seen from the St. Johns River.
Series 65- Waterworks; Jacksonville, Florida (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting the historic waterworks located in the Springfield neighborhood of Jacksonville.
Series 66- Zoos (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting views from the Jacksonville Zoo during the early and mid-20th century.
Series 67- Sensitive Content (arranged chronologically) contains postcards depicting content that may be harmful or distressing to viewers. These items are available to review in person only.
- Biographical / historical:
In the United States, the traditional picture postcard rose to popularity in the early 20th century. Postcard history is often divided into eight distinct "eras" beginning in the 1850s and continuing through the "Golden Age of Postcards" beginning around 1905 and lasting through 1915. In this golden age, millions of cards were printed and sold throughout the entire U.S. and collecting cards became a popular hobby. The Northeast Florida Regional Postcard Collection contains examples from many of the documented eras, including photographic cards popularized in the nineteen teens and twenties.
Advances in printing and photographic techniques along with faster shipping methods between the U.S. and Europe allowed for the mass production of brightly colored pictorial cards to be quickly manufactured and distributed to sellers. In addition to the printers in major U.S. cities, a network of publishers and photographers allowed many local businesses in small towns across the U.S. to commission postcards of local "views" that were cheaply printed in Germany. Many images of small-town life, including municipal architecture, private residences, and street scenes were preserved and are a useful tool for local historians and researchers. These views act as a "visual record of a town" and help develop a fuller understanding of the locations represented in the postcards. Additionally, postcards depicted natural disasters, fires, local amusements, and tourist attractions and were important to the souvenir trade of the time.
At the height of the industry's popularity, publishers would often share or even steal negatives to create their own postcards and often would change or distort the negative to make them appear different from other printers. Misspellings were common and incorrectly captioned cards were also prevalent. The Northeast Florida Regional Postcard collection has several examples of this business tactic and many examples of misspellings in the captions or titles on the cards.
Enthusiasm for postcard collecting began to wane around 1912 and ended with the start of World War I. Even though the initial craze for postcards diminished, they are still produced and continue to be a useful visual record for researchers and historians of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Northeast Florida Regional Postcard Collection supports many of our Florida ephemera or Floridiana collections and is a great resource for the visual history of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and the other towns of Northeast Florida.
Sources: New York State Library Postcard Collection-Appendix C
- Acquisition information:
- The collection was acquired through donation.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Access and use
- Restrictions:
The collection is open for research by appointment only. Please contact lib-special@unf.edu to schedule an appointment.
- Terms of access:
Materials in the collection may be subject to copyright and are to be used for private study, scholarship, or research in accordance with the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code). Use of reproductions of copyrighted works in excess of " fair use," may result in the user's liability for copyright infringement and be subject to the civil and criminal penalties of federal law. Visit the United States Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/ for further information
- Preferred citation:
Northeast Florida Regional Postcard Collection, Thomas G. Carpenter Library, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida.
- Location of this collection:
-
Thomas G. Carpenter Library1 UNF DriveJacksonvilleFL32224USA
- Contact: