If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 725

 

 

 

 

 

Lewis and Clark Cavern, Montana “Swiss Village”

 

This unused postcard features an area within the Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park, found in Jefferson County, Montana.  The card was published by L.W, Link, of Caldwell, Montana and produced by Mike Roberts Color Productions, of Berkeley, California.  The identifier, C15820 is at the lower left corner on the reverse.  The blurb, bound at the upper left on the reverse, says:  “Lewis and Clark Cavern, Montana – Swiss Village—A small housing development fashioned by nature in the Paradise Room.  This is the largest room in the cavern and is abundantly supplied with a solid array of imaginary shapes.”  T.W. Link”

 

The park has two visitor centers, 10 miles of hiking trails, a campground and these limestone caverns.  In 2018 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.  It is a public recreation and nature preservation area and covers 3,000 acres or 1,200 ha. 

 

Even though there is no documented evidence of human presence in the cave before the late 1800s, these caverns may have been familiar to Native Americans.  The park is named after explorers, Lewis and Clark, who camped near the caverns in 1805.  It wasn’t until 1898 that a local rancher, Tom Williams, who had seen them in 1892, finally explored the caverns with some friends.  Tours of the cave began around 1900. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Caverns

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 722

 

 

 

 

 

Source of the Dôme, Abrest, France

 

Featured on this unused Editions du Lys postcard is one of two hot springs located a few meters apart in the commune of Abrest, France.  A third spring was also found but is not as well known. The card has “V 117 VICHY (Allier), Source du Dôme” at the upper left corner on the reverse.  “Couleurs Naturelles” is printed on the center line on the reverse, with the printer’s identification perpendicular to the center line.

 

Drilling for a spring in 1898, Francisque David, went down 159 meters or about 521 feet to find what has become known as the Dôme thermal spring.  The extremely hot waters gush out at 150 degrees F or 65.4 degrees C.  Originally the water was used for baths in a first-class Vichy spa resort facility, the waters were later used as a drink and bottled nearby, still later the water was used in the production of mud for thermal baths.  Due to electrically charged clay particles, the mud is reputed to treat rheumatism and digestive system ailments.  Two years after he drilled for the Dôme, David, again drilled to create the Lys and Cornélie springs.  These three springs were integrated into the State domain in 1927.  The Dôme and Lys springs have been listed as Historic Monuments since 2022. 

 

The Dôme and Lys springs were modified for ease in access.  The waters have been channeled into a basin.  As can be seen on the card the stone basin is completely covered in deposits of calcium carbonate.  The orange iron oxide and green micro-algae form a colorful crust on the basin.  There is a strong steam with the odor of sulfur.  The Dôme is in a kiosk shelter but the Lys is uncovered. 

 

To help get an idea of where these springs are located, the Allier River is a tributary of the Loire River.  Abrest is a small community in the Vichy Auvergne countryside.  Vichy is a city in central France located about 3 km or 1.9 miles north of Abrest. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sources_du_D%C3%B4me_et_du_Lys  [there is an English translation option]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allier_(river)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrest

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 714

 

 

 

 

 

Wailua Falls, Maui, Hawaii

[Photograph by R. Wenkem]

 

Today’s unused postcard features a color photograph by R. Wenkem of Wailua Falls, Maui, Hawaii.  Published by Ray Helbig’s Hawaiian Service, Honolulu in 1951 the card has S-116 on the reverse center line at the top.  It is Mirro-Krome card by H.S. Crocker Co., Inc. of San Francisco, California.  It is identified as a Natural Color Card, Nani Li’I “Hawaiian for ‘Little Beauty.’”  At the upper left on the reverse is the blurb:  “Wailua Falls, Maui . . . near Hana; the falls are one of the many cascades that plunge into the sea from the Haleakala slopes, and provide a beautiful setting for camera fans stopping at the distinctive Hotel Hana-Maui.”  The card was most likely a souvenir available at the hotel.

 

The Hana Highway, also called The Road to Hana, connects the town of Hana to east Maui.  This highway is 64.4 miles long.  It is narrow and winding, so it takes about 2.5 hours to travel from Kahului to Hana by car.  One report showed 620 curves all through lush tropical rainforest.  There are bridges dating from 1910 that are still in use.  In 2000 President Bill Clinton designated it as the Hana Millennium Legacy Trail.  There is a stone monument and a Zero Mile marker at the junction of routes 36, 360, and 365.  In 2001 the highway was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Today the Hana Highway is a popular tourist attraction with many waterfalls and other attractions.  There are scenic turn outs including one for Wailua Falls. 

 

Haleakala crater is an active shield volcano located in East Maui.  It forms about 75% of Maui. The tallest peak is 10,023 ft or 3,055 m.  The last time it erupted was estimated in 1999 by the U.S. Geological Survey to have occurred between 1480 and 1600.  Even though it has not erupted in recent times it is still considered dormant rather than extinct.

 

Robert George Wenkam was a photographer, author, and book producer born in 1920 in Oakland, California.  He worked as a civil engineer with the Army Corps Engineers from 1941-1946.  In 1947 he worked as a civil engineer for Bogert Childs Association, of New York City.  Then in 1948 as an architect, designer for various firms in Honolulu.  From 1949 to 1976 he was an independent photographer.  In 1976 he was the owner, writer, photographer, of Wenkam/Candere Books, Honolulu.  Wenkam died in 2000 at the age of 80.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hana_Highway

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haleakal%C4%81

https://prabook.com/web/george.wenkam/358294

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 711

 

 

 

 

 

Giant City State Park, Makanda, Illinois, ca 1950

 

This used Genuine Curteich, “C.T. Photo-Finish” postcard features a black & white photograph of Shady Lane Drive in Giant City State Park, Makanda, Illinois.  The date 5-7-50 is handwritten at the center back above the message.  The photographer is identified as Bill Hedrich of Hedrich-Blessing Photographers.  This card does not have an information blurb; however, the title at the bottom on the front of the card shows the location of Shady Lane, Giant City State Park, Makanda, Illinois.  

. 

Giant City State Park was established in 1927 on more than 1100 acres acquired near Makanda, in Southern Illinois.  Makanda is a small village of about 550 people and was named after a local Native American chieftain.  A lodge and six cabins were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps [CCC] in 1934-1935 using harvested lumber and locally quarried sandstone.  The CCC also built the furniture for the lodge.  In 1985 the cabins and lodge were added to the National Register of Historic Places.  That same year the original cabins were replaced by replica cabins and several new cabins were added.  The lodge now houses a restaurant and gift shop.  The cabins are available as rentals for visitors to the park.  Today the park spans 4000 acres in Jackson and Union Counties.  It is a popular destination for hiking, horseback riding, picnicking, and rock climbing. 

 

The Hedrich Blessing Photographers company was founded in Chicago, Illinois in 1929 by Ken Hedrich and Henry Blessing.  It originally produced architectural photos.  A 50-year (1929-1979) collection of the pictures can be found at the Chicago History Museum.  The University of Chicago also as a collection in its photographic archive.  Although Blessing left the firm in 1931 the business continued to operate under the Hedrich-Blessing name.  Henrich’s two new partners were his brothers, Ed and Bill.  Bill is the person credited with the picture on this week’s card.  Later a third brother, Jack, joined them and was an administrator and the president for about 40 years.  Hedrich-Blessing continued as a family-run business until Jim Hedrich, Ken’s son, retired in 2003.  The studio finally closed in 2017. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makanda,_Illinois

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_City_State_Park

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedrich_Blessing_Photographers

Icicle Ridge, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

Icicle Ridge trail, near Leavenworth

 

The Icicle Ridge trail is located near the town of Leavenworth in Eastern Washington.  We have cross-country skied at Icicle Creek but had never tried hiking the nearby Icicle Ridge.  The turn off road to the parking area is a little hard to find.  There is a sign but it is at ground level on the road not at eye level and it is relatively small.  The parking area is on a dirt road loop, with one section closer to the sign shown in the picture above and at the entrance to the actual trail.  No pass is required.  Next to this area is also a port-a-potty.  The lower parking area is a short walk down the hill from the upper lot. 

 

Most of the trail surface looks like this

 

The trail is locally popular and in good to excellent condition.  The surface is smooth packed dirt with practically no rocks or roots.  There are 21 switchbacks up to the top and the grade gets steeper the higher you go.  This early in the season our legs and stamina are not at peak condition yet, so we knew we would not go all the way up and ended up turning around at the 11^th switchback.  As far as we went this trail did not have staircases or steps.  

 

Icicle Ridge looking out from the trail

 

Icicle Ridge looking down and toward the Wenatchee River

 

 

 Even though we did not go all the way up, there were several places on the way up that offered wonderful views of the valley and the Wenatchee River.  The forest is mainly Pine trees that are for the most part widely spread apart and offer viewing opportunities along the way.  There have been fires in the area in the past and lots of the trees have blackened trunks.  Unlike the west side forests where there are lots of downed trees from the November bomb cyclone, we did not notice many downed trees. 

 

This shows the steep hillside

 

In the Spring this area is full of gorgeous arrow leaf balsam root flowers.  In places the entire hillside was covered in these grand, large yellow flowers.  There were lots of other flowers as well, such as Ballhead Waterleaf, Fairy Bells, Mertensia, Service Berry, Blue-Eyed-Mary, Sandwort, Vetch, Oregon Anemone, Spring Beauty, and Death Camas.  The Oregon Anemone was a surprise.  It is not common and we had not seen it before. 

 

Balsam root flowers were all over the hillside on one section of the trail

 

 Ballhead Waterleaf

 

Fairy Bells

 

 Mertensia

 

Vetch

 

 Service Berry aka Saskatoon

 

 Oregon Anemone

 

 

Death Camas

 

 Prairie Star

 

 Spring Beauty

 

 

Count for the day:

37 hikers, plus one baby being carried in a front pack

3 dogs

3 miles RT

650 ft elevation gain

 

 

Note:  Something to be aware of, there are rattlesnakes in many places in Eastern Washington; however, we have not seen any on our hikes. 

 

Early Hiking Summary, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

Oxbow Loop

 

We put away the skis and got out the boots.  The hiking season this year started with a few of our usual warm up hikes, such as Oxbow Loop where the Discover Pass is required, and the Connector Trail that goes between the Middle Fork Snoqualmie River parking area and the Garfield Ledges trailhead.  Both Middle Fork and Garfield Ledges require the NW Forest Pass or senior National Park Pass.  These are short, 2 miles RT, and easy.  Since people ask, especially if they are taking children, the Oxbow outhouse was open and clean.  The Middle Fork Snoqualmie trailhead outhouse was also open.  We did the entire Oxbow Loop but only part of the Connector.  Mostly we were looking for a good spot on the Connector to sit by the Taylor River and enjoy a snack.  

 

 

 Fawn Lilies on a section of the Barnum Point trail

 

The next week we did a new trail, for us, Barnum Point, and associated side trails, plus the Iverson Spit trail, which we had done part of once before.  Both of these areas are on Camano Island.  There are porta-potties only.  No passes or fees are required at these Camano parks.  

 

 

Yesler Swamp found in the Urban Horticultural Center

In between we did a local city walk at Yesler Swamp, part of the Urban Horticultural Center on Lake Washington.  A lot of this trail is on boardwalks over boggy or wet areas.  There are some view points and interpretive signs.  It is level and a short walk.  

 

  

 

 

Looking out from the top of Goose Rock at Puget Sound, US Navy Base at mid upper left

 

The following week we did Goose Rock at Deception Pass, where a Discover Pass is required.  It is steep but short with lots of flowers.  The parking area by the bridge has flush toilets and sinks.  From Goose Rock we drove to the Meerkerk Gardens on Whidbey Island where the rhododendrons are blooming and gorgeous.  The Gardens have a $10 entrance fee.  There is supposed to be one or more porta-potty.  That day ended with a stop at the Greenbank Farm Cheese Store and a ferry ride home.  

 

 Rhododendrons at the Meerkerk Gardens

 

 

 

 

The hillside was covered in the yellow balsam flowers. 

 

 

Our most recent hikes were on a two-day trip to Leavenworth where we did a new trail for us, Icicle Ridge, where no pass is required and where there is a porta-potty.  It is steep with 21 switchbacks.  We knew it was too early in the season for us to go all the way up to the saddle but we managed to get to the 11^th switchback before turning around.  That trail is very popular with few rocks and no roots to speak of.  It gets progressively steeper as it goes up, for a total elevation gain of about 1700 ft, which might be more than we can do at this age.  The trail is open to mountain bikers as well as hikers.  There were hundreds of beautiful arrow leaf balsam root flowers and other flowers too.  

 

 Looking down on Ingalls Creek from the trail

 

Also, near Leavenworth, we did Ingalls Creek where the NW Forest Pass or a senior National Park Pass is needed.  The Ingalls Creek outhouse was closed and locked.  It did not have a sign on the door, so it might open in May when there are more hikers.  There were early flowers including a couple of uncommon finds. 

 

A few individual reports will posted about the new places for us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 704

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Praying Monk, Camelback Mountain, Arizona [photo by Norton Louis Avery], ca 1960s

 

As can be noticed at the bottom of this unused postcard featuring the rock formation called The Praying Monk, there are deckled or scalloped edges.  The edging goes completely around the card, but the scan cuts off the top and sides with only the bottom showing the complete edge.  Deckled or scalloped edges were first popular in the 1930s and were found on postcards until about 1950.  After a brief disappearance, the edging returned and was popular during the 1950s and 1960s.  This card looks like it was probably one of those published in the 1960s. 

 

The card was published by Pettey Studios, of Phoenix, Arizona.  On the reverse, the code K-376 is found to the left of the credit to the color photography by Avery.  At the bottom of the center is also the numbers 64850.  A blurb is found at the upper left corner of the reverse:  “The Praying Monk.  Near Phoenix, Arizona.  On the North side of Camelback Mountain Nature created The Praying Monk, who—according to tradition, keeps constant vigil over Paradise Valley and The Valley of the Sun.”  The praying monk is the smaller rock formation on the left side of the larger one identified as Camelback Mountain, due to its likeness to a kneeling camel’s hump. 

 

Camelback Mountain is part of the Phoenix Mountain range in Maricopa County, Arizona.  It is a popular recreation area for hiking and rock climbing.  Efforts were made to first include Camelback Mountain as part of reservation acreage for the Pima and Maricopa American Indian tribes in 1879 but the decision was reversed six months after President Rutherford B. Hayes included it.  In the 1910s efforts were made again to try and protect the area as a natural preserve.  That also failed and by the 1960s nearly all the area had been sold to private interests.  State authorities attempted to stop development above the 1600 ft but that also failed.  It wasn’t until Senator Barry Goldwater took up the case and helped secure higher elevations against development in 1965 that some of the area was preserved.  It became a Phoenix city park in 1968.  “Camelback Mountain is designated a Phoenix Point of Pride.”

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelback_Mountain

 

https://www.summitpost.org/the-praying-monk/763888

 

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 702

 

 

 

 

 

Natural Bridge, Virginia with poem by B.B. Valentine

 

Two postcards of the same place are shared this week. Above is an unused Marken & Bielfeld, Inc., of Frederick , Md. Featuring two color photographs.  At the upper right corner is the number 122.  On the reverse on the upper left side is a blurb:  “The Natural Bridge of Virginia is located in Rockbridge County a few miles to the west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Length of bridge, 90 ft., width averages 100 ft., height 215 ft, 40 ft. thick.  Granted from George III on July 5, 1774, to Thomas Jefferson 157 acres, which included the bridge on Cedar Creek which flows under it.”  The poem, In Old Virginia,” is attributed to B.B. Valentine.  The card was found and purchased from a local antique mall.  

 

 The second card, shown below, is a used Uberman Novelty Co., Washington, D.C. card dated August 7, 1951.  The blurb on the reverse at the upper left:  "UN-15  Natural Bridge Va.  Formed by nature, Natural Bridge is one of the Seven Wonders of the world.  The Lee Highway, U.S. #11, passes over the top of the bridge, which is 55 feet higher than Niagara Falls."

 

Natural Bridge, Virginia, ca 1951

 

The geological formation bridge is situated within a gorge carved from the surrounding limestone by Cedar Creek.  Cedar Creek is a small tributary of the James River.  The bridge has been a Virginia Historic Landmark and National Historic Landmark.  It has been managed by the Commonwealth of Virginia as Natural Bridge State Park since 2016.  Visitors have to purchase a ticket to view the bridge from below.  There is a trail under the bridge along Cedar Creek and by Lace Falls.  There are protective fences along the top of the bridge where U.S. Route 11, also known as the Lee Highway, is located. 

 

The Native American Monacan tribe considers the Natural Bridge a sacred site associated with a major victory over Powhatans that occurred centuries before the arrival of Europeans in Virginia.

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Bridge_Virginia

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 697

 

 

 

 

 

Florida Sea Biscuit

 

This Murphy Bros., Press, Inc. postcard has a photograph and printed information about the Florida Sea Biscuit.  The card has a note at the lower left on the reverse:  “Story of The Sea Biscuit in Florida.”  The code numbers:  76-34 appear just below the note.  

 

This card caught my eye since the name was different, but the picture looked like the Sand Dollars we find here on the Pacific Northwest coast beaches.  It turns out that the Florida Sea Biscuits are rounded, or puffed up, and not as flat as the ones we find here.  There are many names and varieties of these round burrowing sea urchins that belong to the order Clypeasteroida.  They can be found in New Zealand, Brazil, South Africa, and other places around the globe. 

 

When the creature is alive it is covered with velvet-like spines.  The white skeletons that can be found on the beaches have been bleached by the sun and were thought to resemble a very large silver coin.  Other names include things like, sea cookies, snapper biscuits, pansy shells, and sand cakes.  Folklore from Georgia (U.S.A.) says the sand dollars were believed to represent coins lost by mermaids. 

 

 

 

Pacific Coast Sand Dollar, 2023

 

 

This Pacific Coast Sand Dollar is still alive and was found at low tide at Pacific Beach in Washington State.  The flower like design that is very visible on the bleached skeletons can only be faintly seen on the living urchin.  Amazingly early versions of these creatures have been around since the Jurassic period.  When I was a girl there were thousands of sand dollar skeletons on the ocean beaches, now they are not as common.  When Bob and I were hiking on Camano Island this fall it was heartening to find quite a few sand dollars on the beach there. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikpedia.org/wiki/Sand_dollar

 

If this is Thursday it must be postcards, 695

 

 

 

 

 

Lombadas Mineral Water Building, St. Miguel, Azores, ca early 1900s

 

This is an unused Vintage postcard with a divided back dating from the early 1900s.  The number 7 appears at the lower left on the reverse.  Along the left border, also on the back side of the card, is:  Café Tavares, Largo  Conselheiro João Franco.  No photographer is identified.  The place shown on the card is the mineral water building in St. Miguel (Michael), Azores.  I found the card in a shoebox jumble at the local antique mall.  

 

Although it is no longer being used, mineral water was bottled here.  Because the soil is volcanic and heavily enriched with carbon dioxide, the spring produces a natural sparkling water.  The water is also rich in minerals, especially iron.  Red iron residue can be found in the nearby stream beds.  The buildings in the photograph have been abandoned and are now covered in moss and other vegetation due to the warm humid climate.

 

São Miguel Island (Saint Michael) is called the Green Island.  It is the largest and most populous island in the Azores.  The island has six volcanic zones.  Most of the people live along the coasts due to volcanic cones and craters in the interior. 

 

For additional information, see:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Miguel_Island

https://www.discover-azores.com/en/lost-places-nature-always-wins/