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Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Selections from the Postcard Collection
Description
An account of the resource
The Postcard Collection housed at the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library consists of postcards of Williamsburg and surrounding areas dating from the late 19th-century to the present. It includes examples of early postcards of the town prior to its restoration by John D. Rockefeller Jr. In addition, it encompasses many examples of official postcards produced by Colonial Williamsburg for tourists. A smaller number of postcards of neighboring historic sites, such as Jamestown and Yorktown, are also present.
The selections included here are primarily vintage postcards of Colonial Williamsburg and surrounding tourist attractions ranging in date from 1898 to the 1950s. Early cards in the collection illustrate a range of common postcard types and reproduction techniques. The history of the postcard's development as a souvenir, as well as the growth of tourism in Williamsburg, can be traced via Colonial Williamsburg's Postcard Collection.
During what is known as the Pioneer Era from 1870-1898, the first form of postcard, featuring an illustration on one side and an undivided back on the other, did not allow the sender to include a note, unless it was written across a portion of the image on the front. The majority of pioneering postcard formats served as advertisements up until the 1893 Columbia Exposition, when postcards first appeared as souvenirs for Exposition visitors to purchase.
The Private Mailing Card Era from 1898-1901 is characterized by cards printed with the notice "Private Mailing Card Authorized by Act of Congress on May 19, 1898." Backs of the cards remained undivided and purchasers could mail the cards for a cost of one cent. Several examples of postcards from this era are present in the collection. They include some of the earliest instances of souvenir cards created to promote Williamsburg historic sites, such as the Courthouse, Bruton Parish Church, the Powder Magazine, and the Capitol site. European rather than American printers created many of these postcards due to their superb skills. Chromo-lithograph cards of this era exhibit extremely rich colors.
By the time the Jamestown Exposition took place in 1907, postcard production had entered the Divided Back Era, which continued until 1915. Modified postcard backs offered a segment on the left side for senders to pen a brief message. Production of cards gradually shifted to more American printers. The Jamestown Exposition provided a strong impetus for promotion of other historic sites that attendees might also stop at along the way. A series of postcards commemorating Williamsburg area historic sites in conjunction with the 1907 celebration are excellent examples of very early divided back cards.
The Early Modern Era between 1916-1930 led to an increase in production of souvenir cards relating to the Williamsburg area. One type of format popular in this period is the "White Border Card" characterized by a view surrounded with a white border. Real photo cards also began to appear that featured photographs, rather than prints, of local surroundings. In the era before Colonial Williamsburg operated official gift shops, tourists counted on the Cole News Shop as their source for maps, postcards, travel guides, and souvenirs. Mr. Henry Dennison Cole served as the proprietor. His business stood on the site of the present day Taliaferro-Cole Shop. He produced his own postcards of historic sites in the area being restored by the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities and other groups of preservation minded citizens. Several examples of cards published by the Cole Shop can be found in the collection and offer a glimpse of attractions popular with early 20th-century tourists, such as the old Masonic Hall and Custis Kitchen.
Once Colonial Williamsburg opened a core group of exhibition buildings to the public in the early 1930s, a new era dawned in which the museum began production of official postcards as souvenirs for visitors. Photographs by F.S. Lincoln, an architectural photographer hired on a contract basis in 1935 to take some of the first promotional photos of Colonial Williamsburg exhibition buildings, appeared on a number of real photo postcards issued in the late 1930s. Both examples of postcards bearing his photos, as well as his actual photograph collection, reside at the Rockefeller Library.
The Albertype Company of Brooklyn, New York, produced one of the earliest official postcard series highlighting Colonial Williamsburg exhibition buildings, costumed interpreters, Williamsburg Inn and Lodge, and Merchants Square. In addition to holding numerous examples of Albertype cards, the Rockefeller Library also houses the corresponding photographic prints used to generate the postcards. Albertype cards are characterized by sepia toned images that show exterior and interior views of exhibition buildings, as well as some of the earliest scenes of African Americans in costume demonstrating colonial cooking techniques.
For further information about Williamsburg postcards, please consult:
Preacher, Kristopher J. "Williamsburg in Vintage Postcards." Charleston: Arcadia Publishing, 2002.
Reisweber, Kurt. "Williamsburg in Old Post Cards." Colonial Williamsburg XXI, No.2, (June/July 1999): 52-57.
Subject
The topic of the resource
Postcards - Virginia - Williamsburg
Souvenirs (Keepsakes) - Virginia - Williamsburg - Pictorial works
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Postcard
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
3.5 x 5.5 inches
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The Apothecary Shop
Description
An account of the resource
Postcard, “The Apothecary Shop, Williamsburg, Virginia." Text on verso
reads: 'Smelling of spices and herbs, the Apothecary Shop exhibits an array of 'elixirs' and 'ointments' of colonial medicine, medicinal herbs, and other exotic wares. In the eighteenth century, the owner of such a shop was usually a doctor who, in addition to his medical practice, served as a dispenser of medicines in the role of apothecary, or pharmacist. The Apothecary Shop is open daily to the public.'
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
H. S. Crocker Co., Inc.
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1970s
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Postcard Collection, AVPC-150.
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
D2021-COPY-1014-0017 R
D2021-COPY-1014-0018 V
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
Subject
The topic of the resource
Stores & shops - Virginia - Williamsburg
Pasteur & Galt Apothecary Shop (Williamsburg, Va.)
Drugstores - Virginia - Williamsburg
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1970s
Extent
The size or duration of the resource.
1 postcard
Apothecary Jars
Colonial Williamsburg
Doctors
Museum Docents
Pasteur & Galt Apothecary Shop
Postcards
Virginia
Williamsburg
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01ad5cfb158e36bf02a55ea7614db3f3
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Highlights of the Albert Durant Photography Collection
Description
An account of the resource
The Albert Durant Photography Collection encompasses photoprints, negatives, slides, and personal papers that document the photographic production of Williamsburg's first black city-licensed photographer, Albert Durant. Durant's photographic output provides a priceless visual history of African American life in Williamsburg, Virginia and surrounding communities from the late 1930s to the early 1960s. Since the collection encompasses ten thousand images, highlights of some of the major subject categories covered by the photos are presented here.
The collection provides a fascinating glimpse into African American social life in Williamsburg during the 1940s and 1950s. Durant captured the atmosphere of local jazz and night clubs through scenes of performers singing and dancing and audiences socializing. Durant also acted as photographer for many African American clubs and organizations. Along with taking formal group portraits, he documented these groups through informal shots of meetings, dinners, and special events.
African American student life during segregation is also featured in this visual archive. While a high school student at James City County Training School, Durant began developing his interest in photography by taking images of student activities, including sports, dances, plays, assemblies, and graduations. As an adult, Durant acted as a portrait photographer for Junior-Senior Proms at local black high schools and also documented the sports teams, marching bands, choirs, students, and faculty at Bruton Heights School in Williamsburg.
African American spiritual life is another strength of the collection. Durant photographed church groups, such as choirs and missionary circles, as well as individuals participating in rituals at many different black churches in the Williamsburg area.
Occupations, working conditions, and business opportunities for African Americans in Williamsburg are recorded in Durant's photos, too. The photos show African Americans working in restaurants, beauty and barber shops, stores, offices, dry cleaners, and gas stations.
Albert Wadsworth Durant was born on February 2, 1920 in New York City to Samuel and Bessie Durant. His mother was a native of Williamsburg who moved with her husband to New York and worked as a domestic servant for a family. After the death of her husband, who was originally from the West Indies, Bessie Durant and her children relocated to Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1929.
At age 36, Durant married Elsie Lucille Ferguson on August 18, 1956. They raised three sons, Albert W. Durant Jr., Byron Murphy, and Roderick Ferguson, and two daughters, Yvette Durant and Deanna Ferguson.
Albert Durant ran his own chauffeuring and limousine business in the Williamsburg area, providing services to many distinguished visitors to the city, including the Queen Mother of England, the Prince of Japan, and various chief justices. He often took his customers on excursions to local historic sites, including Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and the James River plantations. Through course work at the College of William and Mary, Durant acquired a background in American history which enabled him to provide historical commentary as he drove customers through the countryside.
Durant's contacts at the College of William and Mary sparked his initial interest in photography and once he had obtained equipment and training, Durant began creating his own historical record of the Williamsburg area. He produced hundreds of portraits documenting the families and activities of African American residents and also documented significant events, places, and persons in and around Williamsburg.
In addition, Albert Durant worked to improve conditions for African Americans in Williamsburg by serving in various positions in the city's government. He acted as the first black Justice of the Peace and Bail Commissioner in Williamsburg and served as the first black magistrate of the General District Court from his appointment in 1962 until his retirement in 1975.
Albert Durant died at age 71 on April 14, 1991.
Still Image
A static visual representation. Examples of still images are: paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type "text" to images of textual materials.
Original Format
If the image is of an object, state the type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Gelatin silver print
Physical Dimensions
The actual physical size of the original image.
8x10 inches
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Medical Clinic at Bruton Heights School
Subject
The topic of the resource
African American Photographers
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Photographs
African Americans - Virginia - Williamsburg - Social Life and customs
African Americans children - Virginia - Williamsburg (James City County, etc.) - Photographs
Clinics - Virginia - Williamsburg
Bruton Heights School (Williamsburg, Va.)
Description
An account of the resource
Left to right: Dr. McCampbell, unidentified nurse, and Mary Jones examining a baby in the segregated medical clinic located at Bruton Heights School, Williamsburg, Virginia, circa 1950's.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Durant, Albert W.
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
Circa 1950's
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
Circa 1950's
Is Part Of
A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included.
Albert W Durant Photography Collection, AV-1992.1
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
jpeg
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Image
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
DUR-5343
Rights Holder
A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource.
Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
African Americans
Albert Wadsworth Durant
Babies
Bruton Heights School
Doctors
Dr. McCampbell
Mary Jones
Medical Clinics
Medical Exams
Nurses
Segregation
Virginia
Williamsburg