• Collecting,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Travel

    Numerical proof of love?

    Katheryn McMahon Newton album, an initial chronological and numerical assessment For about five months, I’ve been posting about the cards contained in the album and referring to an eventual chronological assessment. This is–and isn’t–it. It is, because it’s what I’m providing; but it also isn’t, because I don’t promise it addresses all the issues I mentioned in earlier posts. There’s only so much I can do now. I expect this particular album and assortment of cards to play a strong role as I analyze and write about early post cards in bulk and in specific, but at this point I’m still processing cards and getting ideas (and sometimes having those…

  • General Info,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Logistics,  Social,  Travel

    Daddy dear and sweetheart valentines

    Katheryn McMahon Newton album, additional materials Before we go to the additional materials, a correction regarding a recent post. When discussing card 127, I somehow leapt to associate references to the “U.S. Ex. agent” as exports. I’m not sure what I was thinking. At any rate, this was far more likely a U.S. Express agent — i.e. a firm that he had arranged to ship materials to Katheryn. A precursor / antecedent to UPS and/or FedEx. Especially given one of the letters below! The album contained two letters and three cards when it reached me. These all date from later-on. The cards on the left and right are signed from…

  • General Info,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Social,  Weather

    An ordinary park bench to the casual observer

    Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 130-133 The last cards in the album! There are a few non-cards for the next post, then on to a chronological overview–and we’ll be off to our next set of cards (I’m looking forward to introducing Madge to the world). But I’m getting ahead of myself. First up, one of the few items in the album that affirm Katheryn married Fred. In this case, his mother (name alas unknown right now) sent them a postcard which means I have their address in Seattle as of late 1908. If they were still there (or nearby) in 1910 this may help locate them in the census. (FYI:…

  • Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Social

    Convincing proof for the most skeptical

    Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 120-122 There’s lots to analyze on this first card for today! This card includes two of the ways senders might interact with images. For one, Fred invoked the image in his inscription. Dearie:– The residence section of Seattle is very fin as this street + scene shows it to be but as told you before little Portland – the city of roses as it is called “for mine” This kind of street is flushed + washed with a big fire hose every night. How do I know about what is going on at night well I read about it maybe Fred Newton to Katheryn McMahon,…

  • Business,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Social,  Travel,  Weather

    “same old cold stormy smoke, begrimed + sloppy place it is”

    Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 107-110 Fred Newton was the product of his time and culture: white, likely of Anglo-American ancestry, and possessed of relative privilege. Based on earlier cards, he had enough station to call on the Governor of Colorado when passing through (though he settled for a few minutes with a private secretary). His attitudes about gender and sex were typical of the time; I’ve already posted about how, from a modern perspective, some of his endearments for Katheryn don’t work for me (maybe they do for others). Given the card he sent Katheryn from Pocatello, Idaho, he was also racist. Here’s the front of the card in…

  • Health,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Logistics,  Social,  Travel,  Weather

    Running to the Drug Store for a Smoke in a Blizzard

    Katheryn McMahon Newton album, cards 98-100 Three different buildings for today’s images–and questionable decision-making on Fred’s part (from my definitely modern perspective). As with the images in the last post, the first falls into the category of Fred Went Somewhere and Sent Katheryn a Postal of it. This is and always has been a popular reason for making and sending postcards, i.e. to show people you’ve been places and seen things. Sometimes Fred includes interesting information in his message, and other times . . . As seen here, Fred visited the Mint while in Denver and went for what may be construed a joke and very real wish for more…

  • Business,  Collecting,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Real Photo Post Cards,  Social,  Travel

    Very Fond of Children and the Pacific Coast Limited

    Katheryn McMahon Newton Album, cards 20-22, 24 Today’s is a bit of a miscellany. First is a travel postcard produced by the Metropolitan News Co., a northeastern firm responsible for a number of regional-oriented images. This particular card has no inscription whatsoever. The sender evidently presumed Anna McMahon would understand from whom it came–likely the only person she knew in Boston at the time. As a side point, according to Google Maps 1800 State Street is about midway between the two addresses we have for Katheryn McMahon. 2621 South Shields Avenue (Google is not currently offering me an option for North Shields) is about 1.5 miles walk south-southwest. 315 Wabash…

  • Collecting,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Social

    Tennis, Hammocks, and Young Love

    Katheryn McMahon Newton Album, cards 8 & 9 These cards offer a second instance (so far) where Fred Newton sent Katheryn more than one postcard on the same day. These are dated to 22 March 1908, by which time he reached Seattle. Combined with the previous cards’ postmarks and the date and location inscribed in the album, he’s traveled quite a bit in three months’ time. Chicago, Colorado Springs, Portland (OR), and Seattle. Plus, I peeked ahead and he was also in Salt Lake City long enough to send at least one card in February. I haven’t figured out what he did just yet, but I’m guessing some kind of…

  • Health,  Holidays & Birthdays,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album,  Miscellaneous,  Social

    Birthdays, Happy Faculties, and Dental Fillings

    Katheryn McMahon Newton album, post 2, cards 2 & 3 I selected a birth announcement postcard to open this blog. Coincidentally, the first two postcards in this album are for Katheryn’s birthday. Which one? Unknown, as of yet, but we do know the day: 15 January. So I’m posting this blog entry a little less than two weeks before the date. Both cards are from Fred Newton, who dated and posted them on the 15th of 1908 in full expectation that they would arrive that same day. This was quite possible in the early 20th century, when the mail was sometimes delivered several times a day in cities. Perhaps not…

  • Collecting,  General Info,  Katheryn McMahon Newton Album

    Dearie: Introducing the Katheryn McMahon Newton Album

    With the start of the new year (2021), each blog post will focus on one or more postcards from the Katheryn McMahon Newton album. This post will introduce you to the main “characters” we’ll meet in the postcards going forward, offer an overview of the cards and album, and set forth rules about my posting. Lets start with the album, actually. I consider this one of the best deals I’ve made. I’m not going to specify the exact amount I paid, but it was one of the lowest amounts even before taking into account the number of cards the album contained. Of equal or more importance, at a guess (i.e.…

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