Chicago
Chicago grew into one of the largest cities in the world during the postcard era, and its skyline, stockyards, parks, lakefront, elevated trains and busy streets appear on huge numbers of cards. Printed views of major buildings and parks are common. Real photos of neighborhoods, storefronts, street scenes, ethnic communities, events and disasters are far more interesting to collectors, as are cards of businesses that have long since disappeared.
The fairs
The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 is important to postcard history: souvenir cards sold there are among the early American picture postcards, and collectors seek them. The Century of Progress Exposition of 1933 and 1934 produced many cards, most of them common, though unusual exhibits and real photos are more collectible. See world's fair postcards.
Coal country
Southern and central Illinois had a large coal mining industry, with mine tipples, company towns and miners' communities. Real photo cards of mines, crews and coal towns are collected, and cards of mine disasters, such as the Cherry Mine disaster of 1909, are historically significant.
River towns
The Mississippi, Illinois, Ohio and Rock rivers carried steamboats and barges, and towns such as Galena, Alton, Quincy, Peoria, Cairo and Rock Island grew along them. Steamboat real photos, levees, bridges and floods are popular with river collectors.
The prairie towns
Across the Illinois prairie, hundreds of small towns grew up along the railroads, each with a main street, depot, grain elevator, bank, school and churches. Real photos of these towns are what most Illinois town collectors seek, because many were photographed only a few times.
Interurbans
Illinois had a dense network of electric interurban railways connecting towns and cities, including the Illinois Traction System. Postcards of interurban cars, stations and lines are popular with transportation collectors.
Route 66
Route 66 began in Chicago and crossed Illinois toward St. Louis, through towns such as Joliet, Pontiac, Bloomington, Springfield and Litchfield. Named motels, cafes and gas stations along the route are collected. See Route 66 and roadside postcards.
Places and subjects to look for
- Chicago: neighborhoods, storefronts, the stockyards, elevated trains and events.
- Springfield: the capitol and sites associated with Lincoln.
- Southern Illinois: coal towns, Cairo and the river country.
- The river towns: Galena, Alton, Quincy, Peoria and the Quad Cities.
- Prairie towns: main streets, depots, elevators and courthouses.
- Route 66: motels, cafes and gas stations from Chicago to the Mississippi.
Lincoln postcards
Sites associated with Abraham Lincoln, including his home and tomb in Springfield and New Salem, were popular postcard subjects. Most printed views are common, but early real photos and unusual views interest Lincoln collectors.
Real photos versus printed views
Chicago and Lincoln sites were printed in enormous numbers. Real photos of small towns, coal mines, river towns and interurbans were made in small numbers and carry most of the value in an Illinois collection.
What is common
Printed views of Chicago landmarks, Century of Progress cards and Lincoln sites are plentiful.
Why small Illinois towns matter most
Illinois had well over a thousand incorporated towns and villages in the early twentieth century, and most of them were photographed for postcards only by a local druggist, a traveling photographer or a hometown studio. Many of those small runs of cards are the only surviving images of the town as it looked then. Local historical societies, genealogists and collectors of a single county all compete for them, which is why real photos of small Illinois towns are often the most valuable cards in an Illinois collection.
Disasters and events
Illinois real photographers recorded tornadoes, floods, train wrecks and fires, along with parades, county fairs and Chautauqua gatherings. Event real photos from identified towns are among the most collectible Illinois cards, because each records a single moment that was rarely photographed any other way.
Questions about Illinois postcards
Are old Chicago postcards valuable? Common printed views are modest; real photos of neighborhoods, events and businesses are more collectible.
Are 1893 Columbian Exposition postcards valuable? Early official souvenir cards are collected; condition matters.
Are Illinois coal mining postcards collectible? Yes, especially real photos of mines, crews and disasters.
Do you buy Illinois collections? Yes, complete collections from anywhere in the state, by mail.