Independence,
WV
Annual Watermelon Sales Day - 1906/1908
This rare old postcard depicts the railroad town of Independence, Preston County, WV, the longtime home of the Hiram and Catherine (Miner) Hanshaw branch of our family, which ran a local hotel. The card promotes the town's annual "Watermelon Sales Day." Judging from the imprint at the very bottom, the card was first published in 1906, reading "14th Annual Watermelon Day." Enough cards must have remained unused two years later, in 1908, when a second imprinting of text was made so they could be re-used. The new text reads: "Be sure and attend our Sixteenth Annual Melon Sales Day, Saturday Sept. 12th., 1908. HARTLEY & GUSTKEY."
Copyright © 2004 Mark A. Miner