Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, Detroit, 1909

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Annieoakley

“St. Mary’s Catholic Church, on St. Antoine street, is the pioneer German Catholic church of Michigan. It is especially notable for the excellence of its organ. Adjoining are the parochial residence and school.”

Constructed in 1884 in Victorian Gothic style, this is the present day complex that replaced the earlier 1841 church. Old St. Mary’s is the third oldest Roman Catholic Church in Detroit, and the city’s first German church. It is located in Greektown at 646 Monroe St. and referred to as Old St. Mary’s to avoid confusion with other churches.

The unknown sender of this postcard wrote: “Best wishes to you” and addressed the card to:

“Mrs. B. Willmouth, 648 Taylor St., Sandusky, Ohio.”

From the 1900 Federal Census for Sandusky, the addressee would be Bridget Wilmoth, born April 1845 in Ireland. She is married to Thomas Wilmoth (head of household) born December 1845 in Ireland. This record indicates the couple had been married for 30 years, and that Bridget is the mother of nine children (eight living). Children on this census are Anna, William; Thomas, Nellie and Johana, all born in Ohio, and age ranging from 29 to 16. The address at this time is 650 Taylor St, with a different family living next door at 648 Taylor.

Last, but not least, the postcard header contains a distinctive circular design between the words Post and Card. This is clue to the identity of the publisher, which is unknown to us at this time. We’ll keep a look out for others.

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked October 26, 1909 from Detroit, Michigan. Publisher unknown. Series or number 155 B.

Price: $10.00

Sources: “Old St. Mary’s Church, Greektown, Detroit.” Old St. Mary’s Detroit. Web accessed April 30, 2015.

Year: 1900; Census Place: Sandusky Ward 8, Erie, Ohio; Roll: 1264; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0047; FHL microfilm: 1241264. (Ancestry.com)

Holy Redeemer, Detroit 1910

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Annieoakley

“Holy Redeemer Church, corner Junction and Dix, Detroit, Mich.”

“Am spending my vacation here. Having a fine time. Very sorry to hear that you were sick but hope you are better by this time. Ede” Addressed to:

“Miss Ada Seifert, 601 Murray St., Wapakoneta, Ohio.”

The 1910 Federal Census taken in Wapakoneta for the above address, shows head of household, Alois Seifert, born Ohio about 1847, occupation Laborer at a brick yard; his wife Lena M. Seifert, (Magdaline on the 1900 census) born Germany about 1849; daughters Adaline J. (Ada) Seifert, born Ohio, about 1890, and Gertrude M. Seifert, born Ohio, about 1888. Both girls are employed as Cigar Makers at a cigar factory. (We wonder at the conditions at the cigar factory at this time.) Anyway, Ada would have been about 20 years old when this postcard was sent to her.

Three very different churches

The Most Holy Redeemer church depicted here is the second of three buildings, and was built in the Gothic style, about 1896. The parish was founded in 1880. See the Holy Redeemer Parish website for photos of all three. You can see that the second image (also from a postcard) though cropped and in black and white, appears to have been produced from the same view as the one we have here.

Divided back, used postcard. Postmarked August 23, 1910 from Detroit, Michigan. Publisher unknown, number 1420.

Price: $10.00

Sources: Year: 1910; Census Place: Wapakoneta Ward 1, Auglaize, Ohio; Roll: T624_1154; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 0051; FHL microfilm: 1375167

Year: 1900; Census Place: Wapakoneta, Auglaize, Ohio; Roll: 1240; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0032; FHL microfilm: 1241240

“The Church buildings.” Holy Redeemer Parish. Web accessed April 29, 2015.

Seoul Anglican Cathedral

Posted on February 21, 2015 by Annieoakley

This postcard, from about the 1950s or 1960s, was found in the tourist postcard envelope of the prior post (but it would certainly seem unlikely that this one was part of that original set, since that cover references Japan.) The description on the back here is: “CATHOLIC CHURCH Viewed from Duk Soo Palace grounds, (SEOUL).”

This church, located at 3 Jeong-dong, Jung-gu in Seoul, South Korea, is the Cathedral Church of St. Mary the Virgin and St. Nicholas, but is also known as Seoul Anglican Cathedral or just Seoul Cathedral. It was built in the Romanesque Revival architectural style, and opened in 1926. Among other things, the church’s construction history is very interesting and has a quite unique aspect about it. It was actually completed in 1996, due to some major help from a British tourist, who after visiting the church in 1993, went back to England and located the original blueprint of the church at the museum where he worked! The original design, by British architect, Arthur Dixon, was to construct the church in the shape of a cross, but this didn’t happen due to financial problems. So, it wasn’t until about seventy years later that Dixon’s vision finally became a reality.

Divided back, unused postcard. Circa 1950s – 1960s.

Price: $5.00

Source: Seoul Anglican Cathedral. Visit Seoul. Web accessed February 21, 2015.

Our New Church

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Annieoakley

My guess is that this is a church, newly built. We see a small pile of scrap lumber on the ground, and obviously there are no trees or large bushes, other than what we can see on the right, and this looks like something originating from the other side of the small hill that the building sits on. The season is winter or early spring: There are no leaves on that bush or small tree, and there are a few icicles hanging from the roof. I am no architect but have come to appreciate houses, churches etc. and their features, from pouring over online images and looking in the used book that I bought which identifies the different architectural styles of American homes. What I thought was a little unusual about this building is the fact that it has two separate front doors. I found what I believe to be the explanation for this from Frank D. Myers on his wonderful Lucas County, Iowa blog. In some churches, in days gone by, men and boys sat on one side and women and girls on the other, and they used separate doors. The other noticeable features about this structure are the widow’s walk, the cupola and the weather vane. One would assume there would be a bell in the tower but we can’t really see. It looks like what we do see is a spiral staircase leading up to the widow’s walk. So, was this church close to the sea, in order to watch for sailors on their return home? That would be a romantic thought, but perhaps it was to watch out for the parishioners or just a nice architectural feature that the congregation liked, or maybe it was even modeled after another church in the architect’s home town. Well, these types of suppositions could go on forever!

As far as the possible date of this postcard, per the excellent Playles.com website, this particular AZO stamp box has been found between dates of 1924 – 1949. If you notice the writing in pencil on the back that is just the price that was listed when I bought it. A little higher priced than normal if I payed that much (I forget) but these type of photos – a building standing alone, white background like a blank slate, the clarity of the photo, these type are impossible to resist.

Divided back, unused, Real Photo Postcard. AZO stamp box with squares in each corner and with the words “Place Stamp Here” in the center. Circa 1924 – 1949.

Price: $15.00

Source: Myers, Frank D. “World War II: Lessons in their dying.” Lucascountyan.blogspot.com. May 31, 2010. Web accessed January 17, 2015

Mystery Church

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Annieoakley

Divided back, Real Photo Postcard, unused. AZO stamp box, circa 1907 – 1918.

Price: $7.00

Real Photo Postcard showing a side view of a large church in the Gothic Revival style, of stone construction, showing a tall spire, several smaller spires, many stained glass windows, and various crosses (how many do you count?) Besides the beauty of the church itself, for me the most striking thing about this photo is the contrast between the building with all of it’s intricate detail, seemingly out in the middle of a field. Of course, we can see upon closer inspection, that there is a road and some utility poles to the right, and get the sense that many, if not all, of the trees in the photo were likely planted by hand when the church was built, but still, I like the initial illusion of this grand and graceful structure appearing unexpectedly placed in its rural, almost isolated setting.

Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Annieoakley

Divided back, unused postcard. Manufactured by Wayne Paper Box & Printing Corp., Fort Wayne, Indiana. Series H-916. Circa 1940-1946.

Price: $12.00

This mission, founded in 1772 by Father Junipero Serra, was named after Saint Louis, Bishop of Toulouse, France, and is located in downtown San Luis Obispo, California. The postcard has a gray border, glossy finish, double-lined header (on the back) and is estimated to be from about 1940-1946 (from the online source listed below.) The card’s publisher started operations in 1898 per their ad below, that appeared in Fort Wayne, Indiana’s North Side High School’s 1936 yearbook edition, The Legend.

A promise kept

Andrew G. Burry, founder of Wayne Paper Box & Printing Corp, buys lunch for his fellow Rotarians:

Sources: Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, history. http://missionsanluisobispo.org/visit/#history. (Accessed March 3, 2018).

Becker, John R. “Wayne Paper Box Co. Cards.” http://www.dejean.com/salem/1930s/wayneboxcards_becker.html (Accessed March 3, 2018).

North Side High School, The Legend (n.p. 1936), Ancestry.com. U.S., School Yearbooks, 1900-1990.

“Centenarian to buy Rotarians lunch.” The Baltimore Sun, February 4, 1973. Sunday, p. 12. (Newspapers.com)

Street Scene With Zacatecas Cathedral

Posted on October 27, 2013 by Annieoakley

Divided back, unused, Real Photo Postcard. Publisher: Kodak Mexicana, Ltd. Circa 1930s.

Price: $15.00

In Spanish the cathedral is Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción de Zacatecas.

Street scene circa 1930s in Zacatecas, capital city of Zacatecas, Mexico. The Zacatecas Cathedral shows in the background. This cathedral is considered to be one of the greatest examples of the Churrigueresque (Spanish Baroque) style of architecture. The facade of the cathedral best shows the baroque style and obviously cannot be seen in this postcard but is absolutely incredible. The cathedral was built between around 1729 and 1753 (dates vary somewhat), and dedicated to Our Lady of the Assumption.

The old automobile in the foreground is so cool, but to find the make, model and year requires more research. It looks like that might be the nomenclature appearing in the area between the headlights but it’s hard to read. Other cars seen in the background look like they might be somewhat newer…..

Mystery solved!

Thanks to the expertise on the members’ Forum at the Antique Automobile Club of America, the car has been identified as a 1930 American Austin. There was some question as to whether specifically it might be an Austin Bantam, and in researching the Bantam I had found this informative article on the Austin in general (and Bantam): The Austin Comes to America – Part 1 of the American Austin Bantam Story. However, I’ve been assured by a couple of Forum members that it is not a Bantam.

A Photo Shop

We can also see that the name on the sign in the photo is Foto Santibañez. I’m not sure if there is a word in the middle, but anyway, it seems like this was a photo shop owned by someone by the last name of Santibañez. On the 1930 Mexican National Census taken in Zacatecas, there is an entry transcribed as: MA de Jesus Santibañez. I believe the “MA” is a common abbreviation for Maria. She is listed as married, age 40, and occupation appears to be Fotógrafa (photographer) so it’s a very good bet that Maria de Jesus Santibañez was the owner of the shop that appears in this photo. I like how the camera caught someone just as they were leaving.

Sources: Zacatecas, Zacatecas. n.d. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacatecas,_Zacatecas (accessed October 25, 2013).

Zacatecas Cathedral. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacatecas_Cathedral (accessed January 14, 2018).

AACA General Discussion. January 2018. Antique Automobile Club of America. http://forums.aaca.org/topic/304102-what-model-car-is-this-taken-circa-1930s-zacatecas-mexico/

Cunningham, Robert D. “The Austin Comes to America – Part 1 of the American Austin Bantam Story.” The Old Motor, May 23, 2013. (Web accessed January 14, 2018.)

Year: 1930; Census Place: Zacatecas, Zacatecas, Zacatecas; FHL Number: 1520555; Page: 1. FamilySearch, comp. 1930 Mexico National Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Index and images provided by FamilySearch. Original data: FamilySearch, compiler. Mexico Census 1930. Salt Lake City, UT: FamilySearch, 2009. México. Dirección General de Estadística. “Censo de población,1930.” FHL microfilm. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

St. Mary’s in the Mountains, Virginia City, Nevada

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Annieoakley

Divided back, unused postcard. Circa 1968. SC11346. Color by Mike Roberts, Berkeley, Calif. 94710

Price: $25.00

Pearl of the Comstock

St. Mary’s in the Mountains Catholic Church is the oldest church in Nevada. This postcard depicts Elizabeth Holland McDaniel’s beautiful oil painting entitled “Pearl of the Comstock.” At the time of this posting, I am not finding any duplicates of this postcard anywhere else online. There also doesn’t seem to be much available information on the artist, other than a description for her as “a mid-20th century artist.” The description on the back of this postcard could be interpreted several ways. Was the painting the artist’s first to win an award anywhere, or was the painting the first of the centennial celebration to be given an award, or did the artist win more than one award at the centennial but her first was for this painting? Since the celebration must have taken place in 1968, the painting might have been done in that year, or just guessing, maybe sometime in that decade, possibly 1960-1968.

Sources: Virginia City Tourism Commission. http://www.visitvirginiacitynv.com

Roman Catholic Diocese of Reno. http://www.dioceseofreno.org/userpages/st_marys_history.aspx

Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery. http://bodegabayheritagegallery.com/BBH_Gallery_Monthly_Jun_11.htm

St. John’s Chapel, Del Monte, California

Posted on June 15, 2013 by Annieoakley

Divided back, unused postcard. Publisher: Pacific Novelty Co., San Francisco & Los Angeles. Series or number: S-632.

Availability status: SOLD.

St. John’s of Monterey, (officially the Chapel of St. John the Evangelist) is part of the fascinating history of Monterey County, California. This Episcopalian chapel was originally built for guests staying at the very posh Hotel del Monte, part of the 20,000 acre resort complex built by railroad entrepreneur Charles Crocker, of “Big Four” fame. From the Naval Post Graduate School website,

Hotel Del Monte was the catalyst for Monterey’s modern-day tourism industry and a trendsetter in the development of sports and recreation. At its zenith, Hotel Del Monte encompassed 20,000-acres spread across the Monterey Peninsula. Guests included American presidents; world leaders; industrialists and business executives; famous artists, poets, musicians, dancers, comedians, film stars and other notables.

Del Monte was an unincorporated community in Monterey County at that time, but later became part of Monterey. Charles Crocker and C.P. Huntington (another of the “Big Four”) and others at the hotel were involved in the planning and construction of the chapel which started in the late 1880’s. Specifically, per the newspaper clipping below, the construction was set to start the week after December 20, 1889. The chapel was dedicated on June 14, 1891, and consecrated in 1894. In 1957, because of the need to widen the nearby road, it was necessary to move the chapel across the highway to it’s present location on Mark Thomas Drive in Monterey.

From The Californian, dated September 20, 1889:

The “Shingle Style” chapel, with it’s wonderful fairy-tale, English cottage feel, was designed by Ernest Coxhead, an English-born architect who was active in California, and is well-known in the architectural world for his churches and residences. From an article in the SFGate by Dave Weinstein, “Few architects have created buildings as quirky, playful and personal as Coxhead (1863-1933), or as historically informed and serious. And few architects cast the same spell.”

A present-day trip to view the chapel finds such friendly and welcoming people, and among other things, beautiful flower gardens, including the not-often-seen-in-these-parts Mock Orange, unusual small round stained glass windows, reminding this author of ship portals (like standing inside a beautiful old ship,) an old marble wall plaque dedicated to a Scottish-born world traveler, (very intriguing from our genealogy standpoint) and a thrift store for the treasure hunter.

Sources: St John’s website. www.stjohnschapel.com

Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Del_Monte,_California

The Naval Postgraduate School. http://www.nps.edu/About/Publications/HotelDelMonte_updated_Final.pdf (accessed June 15, 2013 and April 1, 2022).

“Del Monte Chapel.” The Californian, December 20, 1889. Friday, p. 2. (Newspapers.com).

SFGate, Special to The San Francisco Chronicle. “Signature Style/Ernest Coxhead/Strange talents/Idiosyncratic homes helped define bay tradition” by Dave Weinstein. Published 4:00 am, Saturday, June 5, 2004. http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Signature-style-Ernest-Coxhead-Strange-2715942.php

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