What do you really know about the town or city in which you live? A walk around the town or city center will present an array of buildings, ranging from the very new to the very old. For some, these may have no interest, but for someone who grew up in the town and has watched the changes over the years, the variety of shops, businesses and other buildings tell the town’s story.

As towns and cities grow and develop, so do buildings come and go. The commercial properties that make up a city center are a vital part of recording the history of the place in which you live. They are not only buildings, but have human stories to tell as well. Once a building has been demolished that part of a town’s history has gone for good. Thankfully postcard images survive long after a building has been demolished.

Have you ever been curious about what may have once stood instead of more recent buildings? One way of studying the past of the place you live in, is to study photographs. Many old towns and cities were heavily photographed in the first part of the twentieth century, when the picture postcard boom was at its height.

Because every scene was a chance to sell another postcard, photographers photographed individual buildings, whole blocks, and especially main streets, from every conceivable angle. Collectors hungered for every view they could get. Shop front names, hotels with the proprietor’s name displayed outside, and the range of goods sold and services offered at that time, were all captured by the postcard photographer’s camera.

Fortunately, the revival of interest in postcards has brought these early views out of their hiding place in the cupboard and back into general circulation. Today, old postcards of the early twentieth century give visual records of the early days of a community. If you’re interested in the history of your city, town or suburb, you will find a wealth of information in old postcards. Compare the names on the shop fronts with those in the area today. You may be surprised that the gleaming new shop in the main street has a long family history. Perhaps it started as a small family business in the same location many generations ago.

Knowing something about the past of an area you live in, gives a greater understanding of present day commercial and social activities. It is important to remember and preserve the past. Postcard photographs provide an outstanding record of times gone by.

Postcard collecting is an interesting and time absorbing hobby, giving you a window into the history of your town. If you are interested in the past of your family and their lifestyle, study images of the places they lived. Historians already recognize vintage postcards for the valuable record they are in providing vital information about the past.