Nubble Light, York Beach, Maine

Undivided Back, used postcard. Postmarked September 3, 1904 from York, Maine. Publisher:  Chisholm Brothers, Portland, Maine. No. 40.

Price:  $5.00

A fifty-year span

This is the first postcard from our Olaf and Elise Thunstrom Collection which was a wonderful find this spring in San Juan Bautista, CA. They’ll be going up in chronological order, according to postmarks (a few we’ll have to guess at as they are unmarked) and are a collection of 29 cards, some sent from Sweden. They span a nice, neat, half-century, from 1904 to 1954.

A little background, so far….

Sweden natives Olof Thunström and Elise Bengtsson were married May 19, 1894 in Manhattan, New York. They had two sons, Olaf, born July 19, 1895 and Clarence (Wilhelm Clarence) born March 15, 1899. (Olof seems to be generally spelling Olaf here in the States). Per the 1900 Federal Census for Manhattan, Olaf was born January 1863 and Elise, March 1863. The family was living on E. 53rd St. (house number not given) and at this time Olaf was working as a plumber. From a few quick searches, son Olaf gains newspaper mention as a track star in high school and becomes a musician, by trade. Clarence was found working as a clerk with the stock exchange, but we’ll delve into details as we go on. This particular Nubble Light card from 1904 has a short message on the front:   “Kära lilla Lisa”  (Dear little Lisa) and it’s signed,  “Amanda.”  We’ll see if our friend, Lars, in Sweden, can help on the rest of the message, and on some of the upcoming cards, too. The card is addressed:

“Mrs. Olof Thunström, 14 West 49 Street, New York.”

Happily still in use

Cape Neddick Light or Nubble Light or just “the Nubble” has been in service since 1879.

Sources:  Ancestry.com. New York, New York, Marriage Index 1866-1937.

Registration State: New York; Registration County: Queens; Roll: 1787091; Draft Board: 173. Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918.

Year: 1900; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Roll: 1113; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 0745; FHL microfilm: 1241114. (Ancestry.com)

Cape Neddick Light. n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Neddick_Light (accessed April 24, 2017).

Old Biloxi Light

Old Biloxi Light pc1Old Biloxi Light pc2

Divided back, linen postcard. Unused. Publisher:  Emrich News Agency. Gulfport, Mississippi. A “Colourpicture” publication. No. 16121. Boston 15. Mass. U.S.A. Date circa 1940s -1950s.

Price:  $6.00

“Old Biloxi Light is one of the oldest lighthouses in America and is the city’s most treasured historical object. It is located on West Beach Boulevard and has been in use for nearly a century and still is in use today.”

The colors are beautiful in this linen postcard. It’s in very good condition except for the small mark on the right. This lighthouse stands today in the median of highway 90 and it’s history is quite interesting. Constructed in 1848, of brick wrapped around with cast iron metal, the iron construction has helped it withstand many a storm and hurricane. The bricks received extensive damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In the wake of the terrible devastation wrought by Katrina, the American flag could be seen draped at the top of the lighthouse, as a symbol of the resilience of the residents of Biloxi and the surrounding community. The lighthouse was honored to be featured on the 2007 – 2012 state license plate, and in 2009 to be the subject of a set of U.S. postal stamps. In 2010, after a massive make-over had taken place, the lighthouse was re-dedicated, and if taking the tour today one will see the blue lines painted on the interior wall to show the high water levels that were reached during different hurricanes, Katrina’s being the highest. This lighthouse is unique in that it was operated by women keepers for 74 years; longer than any other lighthouse in the United States. The light became automated in 1940.

Sources:  http://www.lighthousefriends.com/light.asp?ID=543

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biloxi_Light

http://www.biloxilighthouse.com/

http://www.wlox.com/story/10071170/biloxi-lighthouse-still-standing-strong