“‘The Spirit of ’76,’ also known as ‘Yankee Doodle,’ described as the most inspiring patriotic picture in America, hangs in the Town Fathers’ meeting room in Abbot Hall (in Marblehead, Massachusetts). Painted by A.M. Willard, it was presented to the Town in 1880 by General John Devereux, whose son was the model for the drummer boy.” This is a “Lusterchrome” card by Tichnor Bros., Boston 15, Mass.

The card notes that reproduction is prohibited without the express permission of the Board of Selectmen in Marblehead. So assiduously had they guarded this image over the years that the August 12, 1935 issue of Time magazine made special mention of a rare occasion on which they allowed the image to be reproduced.

This card has it right: A never-ending flat plain, delineated only by Interstate 80. As the back of the card tells us, “Nebraska lives by its extensive sea of grain — principally corn, wheat and rye. More varieties of grass grow in Nebraska than any other state. Beef cattle and hog production are major contributors to the economy of the state. Nebraskans take unusual pride in their football teams, the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers have been consistently among the nation’s top college teams for many years.” Again, dead on: football is venerated there, far more so than in any other community I’ve ever seen.

This card was sent off to Aunt Brenda by my mom, who came to visit me with the rest of the family in 1987 while I was stationed at HQ Strategic Air Command at Offutt Air Force Base. She writes: “Hi, Made it here. Car over-heated in Iowa (in fact, they had left it there to be worked on and had gotten a rental to finish the trip to Omaha). Chris is fine. Went riding in his friend’s ’63 Buick convertible. See ya soon.”

It seems that, as a postcard collector, Aunt Brenda was the central point of communication; the cards would go to her and she would pass on the message to whoever was waiting for it.