LSU Special Collections has digitized two collections of historical postcards: the Mississippi and Louisiana postcard collection, 1906-1939 and the Louisiana postcard collection, 1904-1951. Both of which contain a large number of images of Louisiana landmarks and handwritten messages.
Pickwick Hotel, Bay St. Louis, Miss., 1909. The hotel burned in 1917.
Postcards sometimes called “souvenir cards” offered individuals a way to send quick notes via the mail. The 5.5in x 3.5in paper cards often depicted a place or event.
The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago marked the beginning of the popularity of postcards as souvenirs in the U.S. The period between 1893-1915 has been referred to as the “Golden Age of Postcards” because Americans sent millions of postcards through the postal service. Postcards remained popular for many decades. Now historical postcards offer a snapshot of an era where postal mail was a primary mode of communication and often show places that are long since gone.
Visit the LSU Libraries Postcard Collections page to view all 608 postcard images.
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