DELTIOLOGY

Deltiology is the study and collection of postcards. If I'm discussing deltiology, your correct in thinking that I have a collection of postcards on Cumberland Island. The collection is a small one, exactly seven. Another collection of mine that I started twenty five years ago is on Savannah Georgia.

I've plundered through many a shoebox stuffed with postcards in antique stores and flea markets. When you are on the hunt for antique postcards, nothing can beat the thrill when you cross upon one that you are passionate about.

Many categorized subjects are covered by the old postcards.  The specific subject that I collect is called View Postcards, which are street scenes, buildings and landscapes.

Unlike other countries, postcards printed in the U.S. in the early 1900's were printed with an undivided back. Writing was limited to the front with the design and the back for addresses. It was not until 1907 that the U.S. Government granted publishers the right to divide the back. Until then, many of the U.S. postcards were printed in Europe. After 1915, most of the postcards were printed with a white border.

Dungeness

Undivided Back

Era

1901-1907

The postcard above was actually mailed

to a residence in my hometown.

If you are a deltiologist, the first thing you will notice when you start to form a collection is that the older postcards were used to send brief messages like the one above and below.   Its probably hard for people of my generation to imagine that the postal service actually delivered twice a day back then.  Without power lines and phones, this was the way to get a short message to family and friends.  In the morning, send Aunt Martha a card,  "Coming for supper tonight!"  That afternoon she'll send you a postcard back, "Not tonight!"

Dungeness

Divided Back

Era

1907-1915

 Dungeness lower gardens

The Pool House

Stafford

Plum Orchard

Half Moon Bluff

If you know the history of the island,

you'll figure out who the above sender was.

Stafford Beach Cottage

Stafford Beach Cottage and approximately one acre of property came into the hands of the National Park Service around the year 2000.

First I need to explain a RPA. There are two types of property owners on the island: life estate holders and those with a term for a specific number of years. These owners have what is called a Reserve Property Agreement (RPA) that was granted to them during the governments land acquisitions of the late 60's and early 70's.
The RPA expired and now belongs to the NPS. The NPS has included the cottage into what is termed the 2010ers. The 2010ers are a group of RPAs that will come into the possession of the NPS. They will be determining which property and structures will be beneficial to the NPS.

The Stafford Beach Cottage , built by the Carnegie's, helped shape the character and identity of Cumberland Island through the Carnegie's outdoor activities and with experiences of their everyday life on the island estates. The value of the property and beach cottage is determined through the landscape and it's vernacular design. The main structures principal features from the period in which the cottage was built are still intact and visually, there are no major structural damage. The setting has only changed through the typical natural process of environmental changes. The Stafford Beach Cottage and surrounding property still has historic identity.

The floor plan was drawn from researching photographs.

It is important to preserve the cottage because it's cultural value served as a recreational venue for the Carnegie's and their friend's social activities and traditions. The purpose of the structure was to be a place devoted to recreation and not as a residence.

Site Plan

From a list of five, a decision will be made upon this cottage: (1) use for park housing, (2) administrative offices, storage etc......., (3) public use such as a visitor's center, environmental research station etc......., (4) tear the structure down, and (5) Have the structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
We need for citizens to contact their local, regional and national political officials and let them know that the cottage needs to be preserved. Next, contact and email the NPS at their web site here. http://www.nps.gov/cuis/contacts.htm
Thank you to my friend for the use of her photos of the cottage. Check out her web site. The name says it all!http://www.cumberlandislandquiltchick.com/