Matthew Karkutt

Postmarked in 1932, here’s a lovely postcard featuring the one and only Davie Hall (which apparently used to house the botany department!), the arboretum’s “pergola,” and a hysterical statement that any UNC student—of all generations—can relate to: “I don’t have any special plans for today except to try to catch up with my reading.”

With midterms just over (and coffee demand at the Daily Grind, Alpine, Student Stores, and Starbucks slowing down), I think all undergraduates know exactly what Lee C. meant.

Frustrated by the exponentially growing amount of Blue Ray Discs on the shelves this past holiday season? Having flashbacks of the depressing death of the VHS tape and the emergence of the DVD? Scared your 2002 Honda Civic just doesn’t make the cut compared to your neighbor’s shiny Hybrid-/Electric-/Hydrogen-/food scrap-powered car?!

Then, this postcard is for you!

What appears to be an ordinary street scene in Concord, North Carolina (ca. 1911) is actually a fascinating real photo view of many things at “work.” If you look at the center of this postcard, you can see three modes of transportation: two men driving an automobile, a trolley car going down a rail, and a horse-drawn cart. This everyday scene is actually a fascinating signifier of the early twentieth century’s rapid developments in the area of transportation technology—and, like today, the difficulty for people to keep up with the times!

Try looking for the fourth form of transportation (hint: nearby the trees…and no, Concord is not near Kitty Hawk!)

While browsing the North Carolina postcards this Sunday afternoon, I was struck by a rather humorous message to a Miss Daisy of Lattimore, NC, that relates to the vernacular of today’s language. Have you ever heard of anyone described as a “creeper”? Apparently, lots of people (males, mostly) fit the description: awkward passerbys, stalkers at Alpine Bagel, hunchbacks of Notre Dame, Drouets from Sister Carrie, etc. The list is endless and, well, Chapel Hill is a rich contributor of these seedy figures (ever visit a certain corner in Davis Library?)

In this particular postcard featuring Main Street of Hickory, NC, we gain scope into the psyche of…of… well, we don’t know his name (the point!). The message reads:

“Hello, Miss Daisy, How are you getting along these days? Suppose you will be puzzled to know who this is from, Wont you? Try and guess who.”

Does Miss Daisy ever guess the name of her addresser? Was this merely flirtatious- October-of-1906-romance in action? Or, rather, the vicious intent of a “creeper” extraordinaire?! We’ll never know, I suppose, but the view of Main Street in Hickory is rather nice!