Long Island Postcard Digital Collection

Stony Brook University - Stony Brook University Libraries

Long Island Postcard Digital Collection
Cedar Island Lighthouse, Sag Harbor, L.I. - Image Source

Collection Facts

Extent:
159
Dates of Original:
c. 1900-1930

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Historical Context

Postcards were a primary medium for communication from the late 1800s to the mid-1950s. They are ephemeral sources of history and visual culture that document and communicate points of view, social norms, and history. The golden age of the postcard is considered to be from 1907 to 1915, spurred by the Universal Postal Union's authorization that one side of a postcard could be divided to accommodate both an address and a message. This change allowed one side of the card to be dedicated to imagery.

Scope of Collection

The Long Island Postcard Digital Collection comprises more than 150 postcards produced between the early 1900s and the 1930s that depict places and people primarily located on Long Island, New York. Locales in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx are also represented in the collection. Subjects represented in the collection include: architecture; business; daily life; education; environment; military; nature; people; recreation; religion; sports; and transportation. The items are part of the Long Island Postcard Collection (SC 346) at Special Collections and University Archives, Stony Brook University Libraries.

Additional Information

Finding Aid URL:
https://www.stonybrook.edu/libspecial/collections/manuscripts/lipostcards.php
Scope and Content Source:

The Long Island Postcard Collection is comprised of black and white, sepia, and color postcards (10 linear in.) that depict places and people primarily on Long Island, New York. Locales in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx are also represented in the collection. The items were produced between the early 1900s and the 1930s. The collection is organized in two series and then alphabetically within each series. Series 1: Nassau County and Suffolk County and Series 2: New York City.

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NYH Topic Areas:
Community & Events

Daily Life

Environment & Nature

Collection Type:
Postcards