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Blue Ridge NRHS

Lynchburg History Postcards

Historic Lynchburg Postcards
From the collection of member Kurt Reisweber

These cards all date to the 1920's or earlier.  Picture postcards first appeared in England and continental Europe in the 19th century. They first appeared in the United States at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.  Most American cards are post-1900, however.  They were a collector's item from the very outset, with collectors usually keeping scrapbooks of them. I purchased these either on E-Bay or at railroadiana shows. - Kurt

Personal cameras were not an universal item for families early in the last century. Post cards provided a way that the average person could keep pictures of prominent everyday scenes and memories of their travels. - ed.

sr bridge

This view of the Southern Railway Bridge over the James River is a J.P. Bell card from the 1920's.

kemper st 1

This northbound view of Kemper Street Station was published by a Chicago firm prior to World War I.

kemper st 2

This card showing the Kemper Street station is the only one of these cards that was actually used. The year of the postmark is illegible. The card is a J.P. Bell of pre World War I vintage.

nw bridge

The N&W bridge is the one east of Lynchburg. The card was one of a series on Lynchburg produced by Raphael Tuck & Sons of England. It was printed in Saxony (Germany). This is a pre World War I card.

birds eye

A bird's eye view showing Union Station is a Raphael Tuck card from the same series as the N&W bridge card.

union station 1

Published by the American News Company of New York. It was also printed in Germany. This is the depot that was once down near the James River, but was demolished years ago. This card shows the front.

union station 2

Published by J. P. Bell of Lynchburg. This card dates to the 1920's and was made in USA.

union station 3

Also a J. P. Bell card of the 1920's. The train in the view is a retouching that was added to a photograph by the manufacturer.

union station birds eye

This second bird's eye view showing Union Station is a Raphael Tuck card from the same series as the N&W bridge card.