Ithaca NY: Cornell Library Tower 1950s Curteich Postcard; Clock Tower, Stone
$ 3.8
Description
Ithaca NY: Cornell Library Tower 1950s Curteich Postcard; Clock Tower, Stone. This vintage postcard presents a classic mid-century view of the Library and Tower at Cornell University in Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York, situated within the scenic Finger Lakes region. The image, a Curteichcolor reproduction from a Kodachrome original, captures the imposing stone clock tower and adjacent library building, emblematic of collegiate Gothic architecture, set against a clear sky and framed by mature trees. The presence of period automobiles parked along the roadway aids in dating the scene to the 1950s or early 1960s. Distributed by Ochs Markerâ s of Watkins Glen, N.Y., the card functioned as a tangible souvenir of academic tourism. The verso bears a clear three-cent Statue of Liberty stamp and an Ithaca, N.Y., postmark, though the specific cancellation date is not fully legible. A handwritten message from Helen to Mrs. D. E. Rale of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, provides a slice of contemporaneous travelogue, noting her arrival at 4 p.m. and accommodations at the Plaza Motel. The message intriguingly references a failed telephone attempt from Mulesburg to inquire about a change of plans, adding a layer of personal narrative to this piece of ephemera. This used postcard serves as both a visual document of Cornell's campus aesthetics during the postwar era and a specimen of casual, cross-state communication.
