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When Bert Guerin read our story in a previous issue of Lighthouse Digest about old postcards often being sent by lighthouse keepers or their families, he decided to take a closer look at some of the old postcards in his collection to see if they had a story to tell. They did.
His vintage postcard of Old Saybrook Lighthouse had the following message on the back: “This is my house. How would you like to live here? Piazza goes clear around the house. So I have my hammock out at most any wind. I have a box of pansies, lillys, geraniums and radish & lettuce all in boxes on the south side of the light where you see the platform built out. I have lots of flowers in bloom in the house, heliotrope, primroses and five geraniums. So I am contented with all these boats, yachts, etc. going up the river at all time of the day. Come & see me sometime. “
Marietta C. Knowles.
In doing a little checking, Bert found out that a Herbert S. Knowles was the keeper at Old Saybrook Light from 1907 to 1911, which indicates that the postcard was written, signed and sent by the keeper’s wife.
The other old postcard of Stamford Harbor Lighthouse had the following written,
“This is where our Will spent his childhood days. This was taken last winter – it is two miles to the nearest point of land – it was so persons could walk from shore.” It was signed C S H. Exactly who this C S H is, is not known and no records could be found of a keeper with the last name starting with the letter H. But, if we could step back in time or do more research we might be able to find out.
So, when looking at old postcards in antique stores or at postcard shows, be sure to read the writing on the card. You never know what you might find or learn.
This story appeared in the
July 2005 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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