Greetings From Occidental, California

Greetings From Occidental Cal pc1Greetings From Occidental Cal pc2

The meaning of the word occidental is “Western” as opposed to oriental meaning “Eastern.” (Never knew that.) Occidental is a small town in Sonoma County, California, that was founded in 1876 as a railway stop on the North Pacific Coast Railroad, connecting Cazadero to the Sausalito ferry. Occidental was originally called Howard’s Station, after local landowner and Danish immigrant,  “Dutch Bill” Howard (real name Christopher Thornassen Folkmann), who granted the railway access from his land. Present day online browsing shows a lovely spot that we naturally now want to visit, in the wine country of Sonoma County, nestled in the Redwoods, near the Russian River…beautiful B & Bs…

But this card, with an illustration of pink and red carnations, is another in the Ethel Main Collection. Addressed this time to:   “Miss Ethel Main, 3622 – 18th Street, San Francisco, Cal.”  And the sender wrote:

“Dear Cousin, I received your kind & welcome letter. Hope[?] I wont go down on Saturday the 8. will write you a letter in a few days. your Cousin Cordelia.”

Cordelia’s writing is a slightly hard to read but there is at least an easy way to verify part of the message:  The 1912 calendar for June, shows that June 8th was indeed a Saturday; this card bearing the postmarked date of June 6.

Divided back, embossed, used postcard. Publisher unknown, possibly printed in Germany. Series or number 4. Postmarked June 6, 1912 from San Francisco, California.

Price:  $5.00

Source:  Occidental. n.d https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occidental,_California. (accessed July 2, 2015).

Howard Station Cafe. http://www.howardstationcafe.com/#!ourstory/csgz. (accessed July 2, 2015).

1910 Calendar Postcard

1910 Calendar Postcard pc11910 Calendar Postcard pc2

This one (from the Ethel Main Collection) may seem a little out of place:  It would normally go up in December, per the little calendar at the bottom (with Christmas wreath?) but then again the lovely oval image above it shows a summery, old roses and cottage scene, so that fits in with our present month of June. The calendar turns page by page and is not missing any months. We picture this postcard hanging on someone’s wall 105 years ago, though perhaps it was saved in a desk drawer or scrap book, instead. After all, it would seem very tempting to tear away each month as it went by.

The sender wrote:

“Dear Grandma – Laura wants to know how much goods it takes for a skirt and I want to know how to make scones[?] We are having lovely weather. I just took a walk. Hazel.”

Addressed to:   “Mrs. B. F. Main, 253 – 14th St., San Francisco.”

(This branch of the Main family, as found in the collection, will be sorted out a little later, when we can take plenty of time to work on how everyone fits together.)

Divided back postcard, used with writing. Includes mini 1910 calendar. Publisher unknown. Circa 1909 – 1910.

Price:  $15.00