Other shows at York

What's a postcard, and why would anyone want one?

It was something used to communicate before emails were invented. Postcards were a handy way to converse, especially before everyone had telephones, and especially in city areas where mail was delivered up to 3 times a day. The "Golden Age of Postcards" was from 1900 to 1914. Later they were mostly used by people on vacation from 1930s to the 1950s. Early cards needed only a one cent stamp, hence the term "penny postcard". You can still buy them, but I doubt that many are sent.

I collect postcards from all Holidays, 1905-14, and "linen" finish cards of diners, streamlined trains, buses, and such from the 1930s-40s.

Some of the cards have a interesting message. I have a card with a Greyhound bus dated 1942. It was from a serviceman on his way to basic training, written to his parents. Because he gave his full name, and the fact that he lived with his parents, I decided to try and trace him via Google searches. Because I had his full name and address, I found, through army records that he died in Germany from battle wounds only 2 weeks before the war ended.

Very interesting Joe !

Here is another event held at York this year...

http://www.aths.org/photo-gallery#prettyPhoto

I was a member at one time but I still have my truck.

And, of course, the Greenberg Train Show January 23-24, for all those in the York area that are too cheap to join the TCA.

hey Joe...I bet Mallard wasjust pulli' your leg!  interesting thing about post cards is how they show the progression of a town or a tourist attraction growing/or dying thru the years.

  an uncle of mine passed on a postcard he addressed to a brother (my Uncle Ed) whoo was going off to the Korean War ( I think). The postcard pic showed a CB & Q F unit 9992.  I think (not sure) that number board was on either the recently issued Lionel or Atlas units.  Another postcard showed the Illinois Railway Museum way back when....

There was some kind of show in either the white or red hall when I drove through

the fairgrounds the Sat. before this past York.  I was there once a few years ago,

during the summer, on the way to somewhere, and there was a large china/dish

blow-out going on.   Prior to another York week,  I drove through a motor home show.  I am sure locals see all kinds of shows there.   I don't think the FG mgt. built all those new buildings just for us twice a year. (as for postcards, there was a lady in Iowa selling postcards of railroad stations.  I ordered a few and they looked like reproductions, and not that well done, but she did not have the two stations for the

towns I grew up in, although she had a great number.)  I never got a photo of the

one I hung out as a kid, and I never even saw the second, which was way across

town where I never thought to ride my bicycle. 

Of course, I know what a postcard is.  Apparently the humor was too subtle, so I'll explain...

The point I was making is that postcards are probably viewed by the general public much like trains - they don't know that anyone cares about them anymore, and the demographic that does care is aging rapidly.

Actually, it wouldn't surprise me if a young person asked this.

We used to call them "penny post cards," much cheaper for a short note than a 3-cent stamp for a 1st class letter.

There are plenty of shows at the fairgrounds besides the biannual TCA shows.  Sometimes there are more then one type of show going on in different halls.  Name your poison and there is probably a show for it at York.  If you like Post Cards come to Havre de Grace MD and stop in and visit Mary Martin Post Cards on Washington Street.  Located inside Bayside Antiques.

Walking through antique shops and malls in the past, which seem, in some instances, even west of York on U.S. 30, to be vanishing like LHS, I would see boxes of dog-eared postcards and root through them, impatiently, for it is time consuming.  I looked for

railroad and automobile related postcards: stations, steam trains, and vintage cars,

as well as water mills and grain elevators. Sometimes an old industry would catch my

eye, such as a vegetable packer south of Columbus, Ohio, that there is no evidence

of now, that I could find.  All I need is something else to collect, so I do not collect

post cards.  I was really looking for the subject.

Mary Martin runs the York show, among others. I visited her previous location (near Elkton).

Greater York Toy Show was this past Sunday, Nov. 29th.  Filled Memorial Hall, both buildings, with all matter of vintage and collectable toys.  A sea of diecast (Dinky, Corgi, Schuco, Lesney, Hot Wheels, etc.) plastic models, action figures, Erector, Winross and Hess trucks, with a few trains thrown in.  Held every year on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, worth the trip, $5 to get in, a good way to spend five or six hours...

PD

WOW, I had no idea it was that big. Maybe I'll go next year (looking for more vintage sand pails).

After TCA, probably the next largest show at York is the Streetrod show held the first weekend in June each year.