Streetcar Sunday - Elmira, NY

It's Streetcar Sunday, so here's another postcard featuring a tram or streetcar. It seems like just about every town had one. Some still exist or have been brought back, but most have been gone for decades.

Elmira is located in upstate New York near the Pennsylvania border. Mark Twain met and married his wife here, and they continued to spend summers in Elmira for more than twenty years. They are also both buried here.

The city currently has a population of about 30,000, although it was as high as 50,000 at its peak. Elmira served as a vital transportation hub, connecting Rochester and Buffalo with Albany and New York City via railroad and canal systems. Elmira's streetcar system was discontinued in 1939.

Cafe 16 - Murdo, SD

Don't you just love what they've done with the landscaping?

Apparently this restaurant was good enough that the three people who went there one year came back with five additional people. Must be some awesome meatloaf!

The message reads:

Have heard from Dave - Mon. noon

Dear Mother D-

Here all 8 of us are at the same restaurant the 3 of us ate at last fall. It's lovely weather-just came through a shower-more on the way.

Attended church in ___ yesterday a.m. (left r.v. at 6);

(can't decipher rest)

Love- all of us.

San Francisco Cliff House Burns

The first Cliff House was built in 1863 and burned down in 1894. It was replaced by the much grander Victorian Cliff House shown here. The Victorian Cliff House survived the 1906 earthquake, but burned down in 1907. The current Cliff House more closely resembles the original simple building than the grand one shown on this postcard.

The message on this card reads:

San Francisco Sept. 26, 1911

Dear Irene. I didn't write for a long time so I thought I would write. How do you like your new shoes. Julia Barr had a party and I wish my little darling was there. I want you to get a fat girl. Drink lots of milk. Grandma wants to know how her little lovie dear is. Aunt May xxxxx

Here's a postcard showing the Cliff House as it was rebuilt in 1909:

Click here to visit the Cliff House website, which has a more detailed history and lots of pictures.