A century ago, an 18-year-old Massachusetts National Guardsman boarded a train bound for the Mexican border.

At every stop along the journey, he mailed a postcard home.

More than 100 years later, those postcards survived.

In this special interview, Kara and Jessica sit down with Rhode Island Philatelic Society Vice President Shawn Pease to explore a remarkable family collection documenting one young soldier's journey from Massachusetts to El Paso during the 1916 Pancho Villa border crisis.

Along the way, they discuss family history, military service, forgotten places, mysterious postcard clues, and how a single collection of postcards became a year-long research project and eventually a book titled Dear Family.

Because sometimes a postcard isn't just a message.

It's a map of someone's life.

Music by UnbanishedMule from Pixabay.

Keywords

Vintage Postcards, Postal History, Ephemera, Antique Postcards, Postcard Collecting, History Podcast, Hidden History, Family History, Americana, Historical Mysteries

About the Podcast

Postmarked & Tipsy is a history podcast where vintage postcards become investigations into forgotten people, hidden history, family stories, and the strange lives people once mailed in public.

Recorded in a Rhode Island tavern, each episode combines postcards, research, cocktails, and curiosity to uncover the stories hiding between the lines.

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postmarkedtipsy/

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PostmarkedTipsy

Website: https://www.postmarkedtipsy.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/postmarkedandtipsy

Support the Show

If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe, leave a review, share an episode, or tell another history-loving friend about the tavern.

Disclaimer

This podcast is intended for entertainment, educational, and commentary purposes. Some postcards discussed may contain outdated language, historical inaccuracies, or personal viewpoints reflective of the time in which they were written.

While we strive to provide accurate historical context, interpretations and opinions expressed are those of the hosts. Certain identifying details may be omitted or generalized out of respect for privacy.

Postmarked & Tipsy occasionally features cocktail-themed content as part of its storytelling and historical atmosphere. Please consume alcohol responsibly and never drink and drive.

Listener discretion is advised.