Page 58 - Wallingford Magazine Issue 47 Spring 2024

Treasures from by Bobbie Borne

Wallingford’s Attic

Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust

Welcome to “Treasures from Wallingford’s Attic” a
new column appearing in this and occasional future
issues of the Wallingford Magazine. Each column will
focus on a collectible, an antique, a piece of silver, a
work of art, or a special feature from one of the prop-
erties of the Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust
(WHPT).

Having a wonderful time. Wish you were here!
Postcards at the Johnson Mansion
By Bobbie Borne, WHPT Volunteer

As I wrote this, it was still summer, a beautiful warm ple who enjoy researching the history of Wallingford
clear day in Wallingford. Soon I embarked upon vaca- buildings.
tion to the Jersey Shore where I bought a few post-
cards to send to friends. Postcard mail is definitely on These cards usually offer a challenge to the viewer
the wane. Think back to the last time you received today. Very few of the houses are identified by ad-
one. Who sent it? Probably not anyone under 65. dress. The businesses can often be identified as their
My generation is essentially the last to regularly send names are usually included; and the street views are
greetings by postcard. Email, Instagram, Facebook, labeled. But with some detective instincts, a magni-
and the dual inconvenience of having to buy special fying glass, and a real estate app like Zillow, a deter-
postage and then insert the card into a mailbox. Who mined researcher can often match houses with their
has the time? addresses.

The Wallingford Historic Preservation Trust has a large
postcard collection of assorted town views in sepia,
black and white, and color ranging in date from the
end of the 19th Century into the 21st Century. Most
of these are stored in special archival boxes in the
WHPT archives at the Johnson Mansion. Visitors to
the mansion can peruse two large displays featuring
about 100 postcards of Wallingford houses and street
scenes. These are located in the lower level of the
building. Many of the postcards have been identified
by our volunteers and labeled with addresses. You
will recognize some of these houses, even with the
inevitable modifications over the years. Most of the
buildings on these postcards are located in downtown
Well, fortunately for us history-lovers, former gen- Wallingford. Maybe your own house is featured.
erations of Wallingford people sent and received
postcards frequently. And even better, instead of Register for one of our regular tours at the Johnson
landscape and beach scenes, these cards often pic- Mansion and check out the postcard display.
tured Wallingford street scenes, local businesses, and
individual houses in town! What a bonanza for peo-

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