The 1906 earthquake
The San Francisco earthquake and fire of April 1906 produced an enormous number of postcards, printed and real photo, showing ruins, refugee camps and rebuilding. Because so many survive, common views are modest in value, but unusual real photos, scenes from other affected towns and well-identified images remain collectible. See disaster postcards.
Two 1915 expositions
California hosted two expositions in 1915: the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco and the Panama-California Exposition in San Diego, celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal. Both produced official and unofficial cards. Common views are plentiful; real photos, unusual exhibits and novelty cards stand out. See exposition postcards.
Missions
The Spanish missions along the coast were favorite postcard subjects, and many views were printed. Early real photos showing missions before restoration, and scenes with people, are more interesting than standard printed views.
Oil, oranges and agriculture
Oil fields around Los Angeles, Bakersfield and elsewhere, with forests of wooden derricks, appear on striking real photos. Citrus groves and packing houses, vineyards, and the farms of the Central Valley document California agriculture. Occupational real photos of oil workers and packing house crews are sought after.
Early Hollywood
The film industry's move to Los Angeles in the 1910s produced cards of studios, theaters and movie-related scenes, and early Hollywood views are collected by film and Los Angeles enthusiasts.
Gold Country, redwoods and the north
The old mining towns of the Sierra foothills, lumber towns and redwood forests of the north coast, and mountain resorts all produced cards. Real photos of logging operations and small northern towns are often scarcer than southern California views.
Publishers
San Francisco publisher Edward H. Mitchell produced large numbers of California view cards in the early 1900s, and later the Mike Roberts company of the Bay Area became a major producer of chrome cards. Their common views are plentiful; their scarcer subjects are collected.
Trolleys and interurbans
Los Angeles's extensive interurban system and streetcar lines across the state appear on many cards, popular with transportation collectors.
What is common
Printed views of missions, big-city streets and landmarks, beaches and later chrome tourist cards are very common.
Places and subjects to look for
- San Francisco: 1906 ruins and rebuilding, cable cars, the waterfront and the 1915 fair.
- Los Angeles and Southern California: early Hollywood, oil fields, interurbans, beaches and growing suburbs.
- San Diego: the 1915 exposition in Balboa Park, the harbor and early military bases.
- The Central Valley: farm towns, irrigation, packing houses and depots.
- Gold Country: the old mining towns of the Sierra foothills and their main streets.
- The north coast: lumber towns, redwoods, logging railroads and mills.
- Mountain and desert resorts: Yosemite's early camps, Lake Tahoe and desert towns.
Real photos versus printed views in California
California was printed more heavily than almost any state, and most printed views are common. The scarce cards are real photos of small towns, oil fields, logging, packing houses, interurban lines and early film studios, made by local photographers in small numbers. A California collection's value usually rests on those.
More questions
Are Panama-Pacific Exposition postcards valuable? Common official views are modest; real photos and unusual exhibits are more collectible.
Are early Hollywood postcards worth anything? Studio and early film-related views are collected by film and Los Angeles enthusiasts.
Are California oil field postcards collectible? Yes, especially real photos of derricks and crews.
Questions about California postcards
Are 1906 earthquake postcards valuable? Common printed views are modest; scarce real photos and other towns are worth more.
Are California mission postcards worth anything? Most printed views are common; early real photos are more interesting.
Do you buy California collections? Yes, complete collections from anywhere in the state.
Citrus labels and packing houses
The citrus industry of Southern California was both an economic engine and a marketing phenomenon, promoting oranges and lemons nationwide with colorful labels and advertising. Postcards of groves, packing houses, workers and the citrus towns of the Inland Empire document that era. Real photo cards of packing house crews and grove scenes are popular with collectors of agricultural and California history, while printed grove scenics are more common.
Interurbans and trolleys
Los Angeles once had one of the largest interurban electric railway systems in the world, and cities across California had streetcar lines. Postcards of interurban cars, stations and lines, many long gone, are popular with transportation collectors and local historians. Real photo views with identified lines and stations are the most sought after.
Are California interurban postcards valuable? Real photos of interurban cars and stations are popular with transportation collectors.
Are California redwood logging postcards collectible? Yes, especially real photos of crews, giant logs and logging railroads.
What about Gold Country postcards? Real photos of the old mining towns of the Sierra foothills, their main streets and mines, are collected and often scarcer than coastal city views.