Duluth Air Line: Taking in the sight in 1908
What in tarnation is going on here? Well, this postcard image is clearly a photo studio gag and not a snapshot of two handsome fellows in a hot air balloon over Duluth.
S. L. writes to Miss Clara Schlatzhamer of St. Peter that he and Pal (or Pat or Paul, or perhaps an unnamed “pal”) are “taking in the sight.” On the back he notes he will “leave for home today,” adding that the “concert was fine,” but the “singing not much good.” He also “visited Carl yesterday.”
The year the card was sent is easy enough to read. The specific date appears to be April 20, 1908. The credit on the left reveals the image is from the Penny Arcade at 10 W. Superior St.
What I want to know is what “Let’s have your postal” means. Postal what? Did he just use postal as a noun?
Hey hi there Matt Damon over Duluth.
I see where you are going with that.
The real story here is that this is about two guys getting high, or pretending to, on April 20 in 1908. So, there’s some history there.