The World-Famous Hollywood Sign
Molly has the dubious distinction of drawing my name at random for her very first official Postcrossing card. She writes: “I’ve been enjoying the people, food, culture & beautiful scenery here for the last three years.” Thanks for the card, Molly, and I hope I don’t spoil you — not everyone is going to devote a blog post to you!
This card ostensibly depicts the very first stagecoach in California but, given that it was located at a well-known tourist trap, I am hard-pressed to believe it.
This card is one among a group of six Ramona-based cards that I found in a shop as part of a lot of several California cards. Each of them has a “From Ramona’s Marriage Place” rubber stamp on the back, and were probably purchased at the location itself, at the same time by the same tourist.
None of the cards appears to be any newer than around 1915 at the very latest. This particular card was published by Edward H. Mitchell of San Francisco.
The Memorial Church, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California
“Stanford Memorial Chapel — located on the Campus of Stanford University, is considered one of the most beautiful churches in America. The extensive use of art mosaics for mural decorations combine to make it a structure more than unique in character, worthy of visiting and well remembered. This church was built as a memorial by Mrs. Stanford to her husband Senator Leland Stanford. Dedicated in January 1903. Only non-sectarian services are held.”
This is an obvious Curt Teich card (number 0B-H123, produced in 1940) but is marked only as being copyrighted by the Stanley A. Piltz Company of San Francisco as part of their “Pictorial Wonderland Art-Tone Series”. There is a little wear on the corners, but otherwise this card is in excellent condition. You should definitely click on the picture, so that you can marvel at the painstaking detail of this card’s colorist.
Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles, California
Here is a cheaply made, unvarnished postcard, circa 1960, from the Church of the Open Door in Los Angeles. At its heyday, it could seat about 4,000 worshipers. The building is no longer in existence, having been demolished in the 1980s due to earthquake damage. However, the church still survives today in its new home in Glendora, California.
This card is one among a group of six Ramona-based cards that I found in a shop as part of a lot of several California cards. Each of them has a “From Ramona’s Marriage Place” rubber stamp on the back, and were probably purchased at the location itself, at the same time by the same tourist.
None of the cards appears to be any newer than around 1915 at the very latest. This particular card was published by Edward H. Mitchell of San Francisco.
