Month: June 2019

Copper Creek Viaduct

Bob Lawrence4 Comments

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copperback

The lower bridge was built in the late 1890s by the Virginia & Southwest Virginia rail road (V&SW).  That line was absorbed into the Southern Rail Road in 1916, just a year after this card was mailed.

The upper one, the Copper Creek Viaduct (a word the Marx Brothers had fun with in The Cocoanuts) was built by the C.C. & O in 1908.  The stated height now is 185′ , measuring from the river below.

You barely read the writing down the length of the viaduct, but I believe it says “crossed this just today” or something to that effect.

The post card itself appears to have been printed in Germany before WWI.

“The Clinchfield Route”

Bob Lawrence4 Comments

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This is looking south at approx. 36.0720N, 82.3987W.

The card was printed by Curt Teich in Chicago.  It’s one of the “C” series of post cards issued between 1905 and 1926.  The Curt Teich records for this period are scanty and this number isn’t listed anywhere that I can find.  Nicely printed, though, and hand colored at the factory before the separations were shot for the print run.

ET&WNC in the Gorge

Bob Lawrence4 Comments

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Following the track of the old ET & WNC Rail Road through Doe River Gorge is a fine hike, except in winter.  If there’s been some snow or freezing rain, getting across the derelict bridges can be dangerous.

This card was published by the American News Company of New York, but it was printed in Germany before the start of WWI.

I can’t read the place name on the postmark, and I’ve tried.  All I can see if the final “…ONE”.

I hope Dolly got home okay, though.

Coal Mine (somewhere)

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This is a Real Photo Post Card.  The paper was made by Ansco of Binghamton NY.  The trademark is CYKO.  That trademark seems to have been discontinued in 1928, when Ansco merged with Agfa.

I acquired this card in East Tennessee from an individual who also didn’t know where it was, but was sold to me on the basis of the railroad stuff in the picture.  I figured I could work out where it was.  But I’ve had no luck.  These places came and went fairly quickly in the early days of commercial coal mining.