There’s a lot of great resources out there for researching postcard history. These websites are all ones that have been enormously useful in researching the postcard history on the Upstate Postcard Archive, including history related to Upstate New York.
Links and Resources for Postcard Research
Fulton History Postcards
You might already be familiar with this one if you’ve heard of the Fulton History newspaper database. Admittedly, this sister-site takes some getting used to in terms of navigation and user-friendliness. Once you’ve gotten used to how to find everything, you’ll realize it’s one of the best online archives of Upstate NY historical info you will find.
National Postal Museum
This is the website for the official museum of postal history which is located in Washington, D.C. They have a lot of great exhibits online as well as tools for researchers.
Old Post Office
This website is an antique shop that specializes in postcards, mostly from Nebraska.
Postcard Detective Agency
“Nancy” & “Ned” are a mother/daughter research team. Together they started a blog to share the postcards that they find and the stories behind them.
Postcards and Genealogy
This is a personal blog with a special interest in Pennsylvania postcard history.
Tips For Determining When A U.S. postcard Was Published
This is a resource page published by the Center of Southwest Studies at Fort Lewis College and it’s probably one of the best ones on the entire internet. If you want to know the date a postcard was published, this guide will get you the answer.
The Ultimate Guide To Vintage Postcards
The folks at estatesales.org developed this helpful resource. They do a nice job breaking down eras of postcards and the elements of each era that make them distinguishable.
WNY Postcard Club
This club for collectors based in Penfield, New York meets monthly in addition to having an annual show.
Links and Resources for Upstate New York Research
Dick’s Genealogy and History Corner
This website by Dick Halsey features a lot of Rochester related history, and the surrounding areas. He is pretty active with updating new content with everything from old articles to historic music posts. If you’re looking for some fun history reading, this site has some great gems on it.
Exploring Upstate
A blog about all things Upstate New York. There is some history, some travel, some food, and a lot of Empire State.
GenWeb of Monroe County
If you’re seeking historic info anything related to Monroe County, this site will keep you occupied for years. With everything from historic roadside markers, to local museums and genealogy records, this spot has it all.
NYS Historic Newspapers
Using the same software as the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America Project, this site is run by the Northern New York Library Network in partnership with the Empire State Library Network. This is one of the coolest deep-dives into local history you can find online–and it’s all free!
New York Heritage
This one is a collaborative project among eight different libraries. Together, they have amassed an online collection of ephemera, digitized records, and a trove of other stuff any Upstate history buff will dig.
New York Postal History: The Post Offices and First Postmasters from 1775 to 1980
If you’re looking for a good read, this 556 page PDF is not gonna cut it. But, if you want to know the exact date and who the postmaster was when a post office in a town in New York opened, well, this is all you’ll ever need.
NonROCaholic
Find nonalcoholic options in the Western New York and Finger Lakes Regions, and items made from around Upstate.