Chicago Postcard Collection
Scope and Contents
The Chicago Postcard Collection brings together the 883 postcards collected by Kenan Heise and the 823 postcards donated or purchased by the Library for its Neighborhood History Research Collection. Spanning the 1890s to the 1970s, the postcards offer a wide range of views of the city and its bridges, buildings, businesses, religious institutions, parks and streets. The views include popular tourist destinations such as Buckingham Fountain, interior rooms of popular hotels and restaurants and highlights from special events like the Century of Progress World’s Fair. While many of the postcards are blank on the back side, a good number of them have messages, addresses, and postmarks that might also provide researchers with additional information about the culture and tourism of the city over the 20th century.
The postcards have been dated by a variety of means from exact to approximate. When an exact date printed on the postcard by the manufacturer was unavailable, such clues as postmarks, writers’ notes and subject matter were used to approximate dates that are indicated with circa. Researchers may want to consult the Smithsonian Institution Archives article “Greetings from the Smithsonian: A Postcard History” (https://siarchives.si.edu/history/featured-topics/postcard/dating-postcards) or the Newberry Library’s, “Guide to Dating Curt Teich Postcards.” (https://www.newberry.org/sites/default/files/researchguide-attachments/Teich_Postcard_Dating_Guide_2016.pdf)
Dates
- 1897-circa 1985
- Majority of material found within 1910 - 1950
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions
Conditions Governing Use
Please consult staff at Chicago Public Library Special Collections to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.
Extent
2 Linear Feet (2 linear feet in 4 boxes (2237 postcards))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Spanning the 1890s to the 1970s, the Chicago Postcard Collection offers a wide range of views of the city and an insight into its culture and tourism over the 20th century. Views include aerials, skylines, buildings, businesses, hospitals, municipal structures, museums, parks, religious institutions, schools, sports, streets, transportation and World’s Fairs.
Arrangement
The postcards are divided into 17 series based on the postcard’s subject or type of view. Different and variant views of the same subject place or matter have been given separate entries in the inventory. Duplicate copies have been grouped together when possible.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Postcard numbers 1.1-1.883 were acquired from Kenan Heise; postcard numbers 1.884-1.1706 were acquired from the Curious Book Shop in 2014; postcard numbers 1.1707-1.1952 were donated by Catherine Swigon in 2019.
- Advertising postcards Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Aerial views -- Illinois -- Chicago Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Century of Progress International Exposition (1933-1934 : Chicago, Ill.)
- Chicago (Ill.)--Buildings, structures, etc. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Chicago Loop Elevated Structure (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Chicago Park District (Chicago, Ill.)
- Chicago River (Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Chicago and North Western Railway Company
- Garfield Park (Chicago, Ill.)
- Grant Park (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Jackson Park (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Knights Templar (Masonic order). Grand Commandery (Ill.)
- Lake Shore Drive (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Lincoln Park (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Loop (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Madison Street (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Michigan Avenue (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Postcards -- Illinois -- Chicago Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- State Street (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- University of Chicago
- Uptown (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Washington Park (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- White City Amusement Park
Source
- Curious Book Shop (Organization)
- Swignon, Catherine (Person)
- Heise, Kenan, 1933- (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Chicago Postcard Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Spenser Bailey, Summer 2019, and Michelle McCoy
- Date
- 2020
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections Unit at Harold Washington Library Center Repository
Harold Washington Library Center, 9th Floor
Chicago Public Library
400 S. State Street
Chicago IL 60605 United States
(312) 747-4875
specoll@chipublib.org