The postcard collection at the Framingham History Center brings us a kaleidoscope of Framingham vistas, mostly from the early twentieth century, the golden age of the postal card. These postcards capture the appearance of buildings, streets, and landscapes that in many cases have changed markedly over time. The images also record transportation patterns and the beginnings of telegraph, telephone and power lines connecting residents with their neighbors and the outside world.

The proliferation of postcards coincided with the steepest part of the curve of rapid growth in Framingham. In the 30 years from 1890 to 1920 as factories multiplied, and railroads and trolleys extended their reach, the population doubled from 9,500 to over 17,000. The postcard images convey local pride in this growth and at the same time celebrate the town's cherished past.

Credits:
Douglas Becker, Postcards of Framingham virtual exhibit curator
Bob Santone, postcard history author
Roger Heinen, notes on individual postcards
Kevin Dynan, Linda Bennett, and Jane Whiting, postcard cataloguing
Steven Lessard, virtual exhibit coordinator
Barbara Taub, calligraphy
Dana Dauterman Ricciardi, Curator
This project is supported, in part, by a grant from the Framingham Cultural Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council