Patty at Just Letter Rip stumbled across this blog and decided to send me a postcard.  (Always a good idea; you could send me one yourself.)  Of course, if you send something to Patty, too, chances are you’ll get something cool and crafty in return.  Patty exchanges both postcards and letters, whereas I usually get writer’s block when confronted with any writing space larger than the left side of a postcard.

This postcard shows “The Brooklyn Bridge seen from Brooklyn Heights soon after its completion in 1883.”  This looks like the kind of thing General George Washington could have used, when he was busy losing the first battle of the Revolutionary War (the Battle of Brooklyn, in August 1776).  The British destroyed two militias, but Washington was able to save the bulk of his force by rowing them across the East River under cover of fog, while the British lay siege to Brooklyn.

Before the battle, the British commander, Lord Howe, tried unsuccessfully to have a letter delivered to Washington to propose a meeting.  We presume today that Washington would not accept the letter because he doubted that any talks would be useful.  At the time, however, he used protocol as an excuse: officially, the British refused to recognize the Continental Army or Washington’s military rank, and so the letter was addressed to “Mr.” Washington.  Henry Knox, Washington’s artillery officer, wrote this account to his wife:

(Lord Howe) sent a flag of truce up to the city. They came within about four miles of the city, and were met by some of Colonel Tupper’s people, who detained them until his Excellency’s pleasure should be known.  Accordingly, Colonel Reed (Washington’s adjutant) and myself went down to the barge to receive the message. When we came to them, the (British) officer… rose up and bowed, keeping (on) his hat.

“I have a letter, sir, from Lord Howe to Mr. Washington.”

“Sir,” says Colonel Reed, “we have no person in our army with that address.”

“Sir,” says the officer, “will you look at the address?” He took out of his pocket a letter which was thus addressed:

George Washington, Esq.
New York

“No sir,” says Colonel Reed, “I cannot receive that letter.”

And you thought today’s postal addressing guidelines were picky.

I love this blast from the past: a postal card produced as one of a series by the United States Postal Service promoting tourism.  Despite the phrase “the Americas”, I’m reasonably sure that the only America being promoted here is the United States.  One thing that strikes me about this card is that, in the three vignettes that feature a happy couple, the man seems to be explaining the significance of each view to his more ignorant female companion.  Way to go, 1972!  (Also, I’m pretty sure that you shouldn’t be touching the Liberty Bell, doofus.)

This particular card is the air mail version (back when such distinctions were made); it includes air mail postage of 15 cents.  The Missive Maven added a vintage stamp to bring the card up to date for mailing.

Seems that the Maven sent a domestic issue of this postal card to her grandfather, which probably places me in very good company.  To me, she begins her message, “Hello Chris Overstreet, Wild Postcard man.”  Ooh, I kinda like that.

“Illuminated by three banks of lights (about 150,000 watts) the faces of four great presidents, carved on a granite mountain, stand out in awesome splendor against the deep blue of the night sky.”

I spent the 4th of July, 1987 here and sent this card to Aunt Brenda. It is postmarked from Newcastle, Wyoming, just across the border from Mount Rushmore. Why Wyoming? Because I was a young airman at the time, and the drinking age in Wyoming was still 18.