Genesee County: 1900-1960 (MI)

by Genesee County Historical Society

Most postcards were written as quick messages to let a friend or family know that "I arrived OK" or someone was "thinking of you." Now the vintage cards in this book are carrying another message, giving readers a glimpse of what small-town life was like early in the 20th century, when the majority of these cards were produced. During the first half of the 20th century in Genesee County, the communities outside of Flint were small, but visitors and residents still wanted postcards depicting scenes from Davison, Fenton, Flushing, Grand Blanc, and even the smaller settlements such as Otterburn and Atlas. Railroad stations, churches, and town halls were common subjects, but some surprises were found too in the search for postcard images of Genesee County.

Genres: History

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2006

Reviews

[Loren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of Arcadia Publishing's Postcard History Series that I've read, but I love the idea. It combines two of my fascinations: local history and antique postcards. The things that people chose to photograph and collect on vintage postcards -- churches, cabins at the lake, train depots, main streets, blacksmith shops, etc. -- amaze and awe me in this age of postcards of the same handful of tourist destinations over and over again.

I grew up in Genesee County, Michigan, so I was completely absorbed by these glimpses into the past. Some things haven't changed: the solid county courthouses, the soaring church steeples, the farming communities. Other things, like the collapse of the auto industry, the system of summer camps, and the local train systems, are barely a memory any more.

The only thing that prevents this book from achieving a five-star rating is the way the postcards are organized. I like that things are divided into rough categories (Working for a Living, Serving the Community, Leisure Time), but I wish the photos of my hometown were all grouped together within the sections, so that it would be easier for me to visit the same sites now and see what's still standing. Failing that, I may have to write my own index inside the front cover.