Greetings from Glencoe Opens April 29th
Posted on Apr 18, 2007 in categories Events, Exhibits, Press Releases
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A new post card exhibit, Greetings from Glencoe, featuring the donation of Glencoe residents Bea and Barney Berlin will open with a special event 2–4 p.m. April 29th at the Glencoe Historical Society, 377 Park Ave.
The Berlins’ donation doubled the number of post cards the society already owned. Post cards are extremely valuable for historical societies as their pictures show the village at various stages in development. The post cards on view are primarily from the late 1890s through the 1930s.
Many in the donated collection are extremely valuable as they are early cards—identifiable by their undivided backs. Post cards in their early years didn’t have the line down the middle of the back and U.S. Postal Service regulations required only addresses. It wasn’t until 1907 that the post office would mail cards that had divided backs—one side for the address and the other for the message.
Glencoe’s association with post cards is closer than most towns. The man whose firm printed more post cards than any other in history lived in the village. Curt Teich, whose firm was in Chicago, is famous for cards that had letters that spelled out a town’s name and then put images from the town inside the letters. Of course, there is a Greetings from Glencoe card and it is on display.
Other featured cards illustrate the changes over time both in how cards were produced and in downtown Glencoe. They illustrate the varied uses for post cards, including as birthday cards, real estate for sale notices and locations, in addition to salutations from a vacation.
Join the historical society for an afternoon of viewing and talking about post cards. Find out where “Lover’s Lane” is and when Skokie Country Club was home to a tennis tournament. Admission is free and refreshments will be served from 2-4 p.m. Sunday, April 29, Glencoe Historical Society’s Eklund History Center, 377 Park Ave.