Postcards Collection


The increased use of images in postcards began in the late 19th century, leading to the “golden age” of the picture postcard from about 1905 to 1915 in the United States. As an easy and quick way for individuals to communicate, they became extremely popular. Postcards document the natural landscape as well as buildings, gardens, parks, cemeteries and tourist sites. They provided snapshots of societies at a time when few newspapers carried images. During their heyday postcards revolutionized communication, not unlike social media of today.

Credit: Postcards from the Medfield Historical Society Collections; Peak House postcards courtesy of Rob Gregg, from his private postcard collection.