Streetcar Sunday - Billings, Montana

This card was sent in 1912. The message reads:

Dear Corwin

How do you like the looks of the street scene ? The store is under the sign - "Rebecca of Sunny Brook Farm." I like the place fine. My love to papa + mama. Grace

Perry McAdow, an early developer and entrepreneur, started Montana's first streetcar service in Billings with horse-drawn cars in 1882. The fare was 25 cents, and in an effort to get more riders, McAdow offered free beer at his store at the end of the line in Coulson, just outside Billings.  Or, perhaps he initiated streetcar service to bring more customers to his store. In any case, despite the free beer, the streetcar  went out of business within a year and development in Coulson never really flourished.

After that, there was no streetcar service in Billings for many years. Finally, in 1912, a new battery-operated streetcar service was started. It only lasted for five years.

Quimper, France

Quimper is located in Brittany and is the home of the famous Quimper faience pottery.  In fact, the pottery has been produced there since the days of the Roman Empire.

Lemberg to Warsaw

This card was sent from Lemberg in 1895. Lemberg belonged to the Austrian Empire at that time, but it is now part of the Ukraine and is known as Lviv. I wish I could tell you what the message on the card says.