New postcards for my private collection.

I've gotten some really wonderful postcards for my private collection over the last week or so. Three of these came to me in private swaps by the same user. She is so super nice for sending these to me and of course she gets postcards back in return.


This is an official postcard: US-871379
Stagecoaches built by the Abbot-Downing Company of Concord, New Hampshire were used by Wells Fargo to transport gold, mail and passengers throughout the west. This stagecoach, #187, is on display at the Wells Fargo History Museum in Sacramento, CA.


Pioneer Log Home - This fifteen-foot by twenty-foot log home, constructed of douglas fir and lodgepole pine, was built by Latter-day Saint pioneers upon their arrival in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. It has been restored with furnishings that reflect the lifestyle of the Osmyn Deuel family, its original inhabitants.


Pioneer Handcart - This handcart was pulled from Nebraska to the Utah Territory in the late 1860s by members of the William Stiff family, immigrants from England. Traveling in a Church-sponsored wagon train, the Stiffs purchased the handcart to carry additional possessions to their new home.


Western Stagecoach - Before the railroad era, a Concord Coach was the best form of transportation in the West. Until the early 1900's, stages carried mail, passengers, and baggage to small towns, settlements, and remote mining districts. At an exasperating 5 miles per hour, travelers tolerated soaring heat, freezing cold, mud, and dust, sometimes all in the same day. (Photo: 1894, Arizona Historical Society.)

More for my private collection

Here are some more postcards for my private collection.


I bought this at The High Desert Museum while on vacation.
Commercial District, Silver City Idaho Exhibit.


I got this in a private swap from a wonderful postcrosser. Lots of awesome information on it.
The silent stone walls of Mesa Verde's ancient cliff dwellings tell the story of a civilization struggling to survive in a harsh environment. Once a prosperous and highly advanced Anasazi community, it was mysteriously abandoned sometime during the close of the 13th century. Today the remains of Mesa Verde are the best preserved ancient cliff dwellings in the United States and tell us much about their inhabitants' culture and customs.


Another postcard I picked up while on vacation.

Private collection

When I was on vacation, we went to The High Desert Museum. It was so cool. They had this huge section on the settling of the Old West/Wild West and it was amazing. I am now totally hooked on anything related to the settling of the Wild West. I hope postcrossers that live in the US can help me out if they have postcards relating to that subject. I put a request on my profile and have had some users respond to cards that I have favorited so I'm feeling pretty hopeful. I found some postcards on our adventure the other day. I'll be posting cards like that in here and I need to put them in an online album so everyone can see them.


This lovely postcard was sent to me in a private swap.
Scorched Lightning - This Minneconjoux Sioux was named Scorched Lightning. Note the magnificent string of large bear claws around his neck. The bear was held in reverence among Northern Plains Tribes and admired for its great strength and courage.



I bought this one myself.
The Beaver Family - Sampson, Louise, and Leah Beaver are dressed in a combination of indigenous and European clothing and accessories. They are a family of the Stoney Nation, who live near the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Photo taken in 1907.


Another one I bought myself.
Hanging Meat to Dry - This Crow woman from the Great Plains hangs meat out to dry. Once the meat is dry, it will be mixed with fat and berries to become a dietary staple called pemmican. The meat is stored for use over the winter months. Photo taken in 1905 or 1906.

Postcards and adventures

When I went to buy stamps on Tuesday, there ended up being a huge line at the post office so I decided to order them online instead. I think they'll be here today, but it's not a big deal if they're not.

After that, I went to my favorite drug store on the island. They sell so many wonderful postcards. (I actually went there for something else, but who can resist postcards?) I stocked up on some favorites that I was almost out of and bought some new ones that I couldn't resist because I thought they were either cool, interesting or funny. I can't wait to send them out!

When I got back from my errands, my husband suggested that we go out on an adventure since I start school again next week. We bundled our daughter up and headed out to the Olympic Peninsula. So beautiful. We ended up going out to the Hoh Rain Forest since neither of us had ever been there before. Wow. Amazing. That area is just so awe inspiring. We found this great store called Peak 6. They sell hiking and camping gear as well as souvenirs. I found some awesome Native American postcards for my private collection (I would have bought some to send on postcrossing, but they were 75 cents a piece!) and one that featured the wild cats of Washington so I bought those since I hadn't seen that postcard before. My husband and I ended up with new winter jackets, Native American jewelry and our daughter chose a stuffed husky for herself.

Today, I need to head out to see if I can find a specific postcard that a user wants in a trade. I think I know where I can find it, but we'll see. There are only three stores in could be in and two of them are within minutes of where I live.