Miss Lillian's Postcards: A Christmas Postcard from Father

Sender: Henry Maguire, Lillian's father
Addressee: Miss Lill Maguire, 1902 G Terry Ave, Seattle, Washington
Postmark: Santa Barbara, Cal
Date: Dec 25, 1909
Image: Potter Hotel, Santa Barbara, California. Coast Line, S.P.R.R.

This amazing resort hotel no longer exists, alas. It was still rather new at the time of Mr. Maguire's visit to Santa Barbara, having been built in 1903. It was a veritable phenomenon, in size, luxury, and accommodations, and many families stayed a month or more. Along the front were sun, shaded and glassed-in porches. Above, roof gardens provided spectacular views of the ocean, islands, mountains and the city. The grounds were elaborately landscaped and included tennis courts, a zoo, a palm and fernery building, cactus gardens and enchanting pathways. The gardens were constantly renewed to astonish the winter guests with a showy variety of blooms.

The Potter had its own post office, water system, power plant and a railroad siding that led onto the grounds to allow the bulk shipment of fuel and groceries. Directly behind the Potter the Southern Pacific Railroad built their new station with a pathway leading directly to the Potter. Alas, the hotel burned down in 1921.

Message:

12-25-09

Dear Daughter

Package received.

Much oblidge[d].

your Father

H Maguire

Written and posted on December 25th, 1909, this postcard from Henry Maguire conveys his thanks to his daughter for a Christmas gift received. Very sweet in its brevity, it shows family reaching out to family at this special time of year.

Season's greetings and best wishes to all my readers!

Miss Lillian's Postcards: Father Remains in California for the Holidays

Sender: Henry Maguire, Lillian's father
Addressee: Miss Lill Maguire, 1902 G Terry Ave, Seattle, Washington
Postmark: Santa Barbara, Cal
Date: Dec 24, 1909
Image: Santa Barbara Mission, California. Founded 1786.

The Old Mission in Santa Barbara is still there, and looking much the same as it does in this vintage postal. See http://www.santabarbaramission.org/ for more information about this beautiful site.

Message:

12-23-09

Dear Daughter,

Wishing you

a Merry Xmass

And a happy new year.

Your father

Henry Maguire

Still in California, Lillian's father wrote a Christmas greeting on this postcard on December 23rd, and then posted it on December 24th. This postcard means that Lillian's father was in California for Thanksgiving as well. He is far from all his family at a time when being with family is important. 

While I have been assuming Lillian's father went to California for business, another possibility was that he went for his health. Santa Barbara at this time was a world-famous resort town, in the sense of health resorts as well as tourism. While we will never know, I think this latter possibility is the most likely reason. Lillian, after all, went to Seattle for her health. Perhaps her father suffered from health problems in St Louis as well. Staying at a resort for his health would account for the long stay in California.

Miss Lillian's Postcards - Father is in San Diego

Sender: HM (Henry Maguire, Lillian's father)
Addressee: Miss Lill Maguire, 1902 G Terry Ave, Seattle, Washington
Postmark: San Diego, Cal.
Date: November 23, 1909
Image: Snowy Range, Near Trinidad, Colo.

On the postcard back is this description: The Snowy Range presents no scenery of the tremendous type, but frequently views wide in scope and full of beauty are seen. It is visible for miles as the train hurries along. It is eternally snow-capped - hence its name.

When I google Snowy Range Mountains, I learn that they are in the northern part of Colorado, while the town of Trinidad is in southern Colorado. I think they meant the southern Colorado Sangres mountains, which ARE near Trinidad. And are pretty snowy, at least, in winter. Plus, the train does go through Trinidad, while there are no trains near the Snowy Range mountains, that I could find.

Message:

Nov 23-09

San Diego Cal

I arrived here the 22nd. 

Oranges and Lemons look

fine.Their [sic] is fruit here

that, I never so [sic] before.

Clothing shoes and everything

else cheap as in St Louis

HM

Happy day, another letter from Lillian's dad! He has arrived at his California destination, San Diego, on November 22nd. We don't know when he left St Louis, but we do know he was in Albuquerque on November 20th. It took two days for the train to get from Albuquerque to San Diego in 1909! 

I love his comments on the citrus fruit, which would be a novelty for him, I'm sure. I wonder what other fruit he might have seen in San Diego that he never saw before. His comment on the price of clothing was also interesting. Prices in San Diego are apparently similar to prices in St Louis.

Of more interest is what took him to California. Since he is writing, I am guessing that Lillian's mother is still back in St Louis. And since things are new to him in San Diego, I feel that I can rule out a family visit. And assume that this is a business trip of some sort. Sigh. I wish I knew!

Miss Lillian's Postcards from the 1900s - Vintage Tweets from Los Angeles, California

Postcard 019

Sender: Joni
Addressee: Miss Lillian Maguire,  (Luyties) Vandeventer + Laclede, St. Louis, Mo
Postmark: Los Angeles, CAL
Date: October 2, 1907
Image: In Westlake Park, Los Angeles, California
Message:

with best love from Joni

Westlake Park, which opened in 1890, was one of the first parks developed in Los Angeles. Select the link to view the history of its creation and to see more pictures and postcards from the same era as this postcard. You'll see men and women that provide a sense of the fashion of the day. :)

Joni (or could it be Jane?) is sending an affectionate hello to Miss Lillian at her work address (rather than at home), all the way from Los Angeles, California! Such an exotic destination in that era, I would think. It is a fairly "girlish" penmanship, if I may call it that, so I think this is clearly from a female friend or family member.

I think this post card is the equivalent of sending a heart icon in a tweet or FB post. Don't you? Maybe two or three hearts - this is "with best love" after all. :)

Gown from 1907