Postcards can act as either proof of where we’ve been or inspiration for where we want to go. This classic golden age Seaside postcard (top left) was sent in 1911 and is postmarked from “Springfield, Missouri”. Perhaps the sender made it back home to Missouri from a long trip out West and had a hankering to inspire a loved-one to make the same journey?
Postcards can also be a fabulous form of boasting. The standard “wish you were here” can sometimes be subtext for “look where I am, aren’t you jealous?!” Perhaps this Missouri postcard author wanted to inspire a bit of healthy envy with this shot of their sunny Seaside beach jaunt; and what an idyllic day at the beach it was! It’s a picture perfect scene captured on Seaside’s beach to send around the world. As you can see, despite brilliant sunshine, only the kids are wearing shorts (lucky!). Notice the beach chairs folks brought down to the sands too. They’re essentially basic wooden models, probably taken directly from the dining room table – or perhaps borrowed from a hotel lobby?
If you want to take a look at postcards from the past (and possible even get a chance to take a peak at their written contents), the Seaside Museum and Historical Society is a veritable treasure trove of paraphernalia and artifacts from Seaside’s history. Much like postcards, the artifacts from our town’s shared past also act as proof of where we’ve been or as inspiration for where we want to go.
