Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Postcards of Paola, Kansas, c. 1912

                                                              ~ City Park, Paola, Kansas, c. 1912 ~
                                                                    Real Photo Postcard (RPPC)
                                                                                            ~
                                 Note Henson-Woodman Hardware & Stoves across the street.

Real Photo Postcards (RPPC), in popular use from around 1903 to 1930,
provided an opportunity for everyone to produce their own cards for mailing.

The photograph was taken by a special Kodak camera that could make postcards
using special postcard-sized film.  The image would be developed directly from
the negative onto postcard backs.  The picture postcards produced were good
quality photographs, in both matte or shiny finishes.

The blank side was divided like any commercially-made postcard, with places
for the address and the message provided.  Postcard stamps in 1912 were 1¢.

                                   Real Photo Postcard ~ Typical look of the reverse side, c. 1912.

If you can remove old black and white photographs from family albums, you
might discover that some are in fact postcards ~ a ready-made card with a
custom photograph taken by your grandparents or great-grandparents!

                                 Water Works Dam ~ Paola, Kansas, c. 1912, RPPC

                                 Julia at the Water Works Dam, Paola, Kansas, c. 1915
                                                             (family photograph)                                                
                                                                            ~

Watch a video about the history of Paola, Kansas, 
produced by the Chamber of Commerce, courtesy of YouTube. 
                                  www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss4VKYqNH5Y                                           
                                                           

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