Historic Iowa Postcards

Grinnell College Libraries' Historic Iowa Postcard Collection. A collection of postcards from 1900 through the middle of the 20th century, covering all parts of Iowa.

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Looking east from the Council Bluffs Golf Club at several sailboats and rowboats on Lake Manawa. Lake Manawa was created in 1881 from a Missouri River flood. 1908 postmark.
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Looking at the front entrance to a three-story wooden building established in 1895 by Surgeon W.E. West. 1908 postmark.
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Remains of a tornado that hit Arthur, Iowa, July 26, 1908. Men are sifting through debris with a cow grazing nearby. 1909 postmark.
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Alamo Park was opened on June 11, 1909, and it was estimated that 2,500 people attended that first day. The park was torn down in 1921 to make room for Roosevelt Junior High School.1909 postmark. Number 6478.
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Alexander, photographer (Albia, Iowa)
Looking northwest at a panoramic view of the Albia square which includes the courthouse, bicycle, horses and carriages and electric lines. Listed in the National Register for Historic Places as the Albia Square and Central Commercial Historic District. 1909 postmark. Number 8109.
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Looking at a five-story brick and stone hotel building that once housed the Bishops cafeteria. The cafeteria closed in 1981 and the hotel was demolished in 1983 to create a new parking lot. 1909 postmark. Number 22216.
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Looking east at shoreline with sailboat and boathouse. Arbor Lake, named for Arbor Day, when hundreds of trees were planted there, was created in 1902 as a storage reservoir to provide soft water for manufacturing firms. 1909 postmark. Number 58.
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Looking southeast. The Grinnell Armory building was constructed in 1907 for lease to the Grinnell Armory Association. 1909 postmark. Number 921.
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Two story brick building in Blairstown, Iowa. 1909 postmark. Number 64874.
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Three women standing in front of a two-story wood building. Lace curtains are in the window. Swing set on the left. Rocker on the side porch. 1909 postmark. Verson reads: "Iowa, Monroe Dec. 2, 1909, This is the boarding house of Mrs. L.A. Dunn Hendershot who lived in Franklin Co. VT until she was 18 years old. I stayed with her two nights Nov. 30 and Dec 1st 1909.",
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Looking south on Broad Street with the Old Stone Church on left. 1909 postmark.
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Looking north on unpaved Broad Street with woman and man in foreground. 1909 postmark.
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View of four Buffalo roaming Greenwood Park in the winter. Greenwood Park was the first official large park in Des Moines purchased by park commissioners in 1894. Located at 4500 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. 1909 postmark. Number 6443.
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Looking northeast at a three-story building which opened in 1899 at a cost of $75,000. Since Creston was a division point, the depot also contained numerous railroad offices on the upper levels for the division superintendent, dispatcher, roadmaster, physician and other officials. The depot abutted the busy Creston yards, which had one of the largest roundhouses in the CB&Q system. Today, the first floor houses an art gallery, senior center, and exhibits, while the second floor is reserved for municipal use. The building is located at 200 West Adams Street, Creston, Union County, Iowa, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. 1909 postmark.
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Looking northwest at a six-story brick and stone building with Greek columns at the entrance. The building was constructed in 1901 by Lightner Brothers Construction Company of Cedar Rapids. It occupies the site of two non-extant Victorian residences (Smythe, Armstrong). It was located at 602 North Fourth Street, Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa. 1909 postmark.
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Looking northeast from Park Street at Goodnow Hall, Magoun Hall, and Chicago Hall. 1909 postmark. Number 924.
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Looking northeast. Carnegie Library was constructed in 1904, costing $50,000 excluding stacks and moveable furnishings. Funded by a $50,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie. 1909 postmark. Number 929.
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Looking northeast at women entering a two-story brick and sandstone Prairie School style building with clay tile roof. The library was designed by Thomas R. Kimball and dedicated September 2, 1905. It is located at 125 East Sixth Street, Carroll, Carroll County, Iowa, and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 1909 postmark.
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Looking northeast. Constructed in 1907 at a cost of approx. $20,000, Herrick Chapel was designed to house the college's religious services and to serve as a general purpose large auditorium which seats 700. Carnegie Library in background. 1909 postmark. Number 931.
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The rail line provided passenger service. By 1910, the Charles City Western Railway's interurban gasoline-powered streetcar was providing transportation down Main Street and eventually to Marble Rock. Local service ended in 1921. 1912 postmark. Number A-16351.