LittlefieldPostCards

I am writing up this page, on March 10 and 11, 2009

At left is a scan of a business card from the, "Littlefield Amusement Co.". Just click on it to see a larger and clearer view.

On this page you will find the Littlefield, Texas paper ephemera that I have collected over the years. Right now, there's "Milk (bottle) Caps", "Miscellaneous" items, and then "Postcards".

I get homesick and have a "favorite search" saved on eBay, for, "Littlefield Texas". A lot of the stuff on this page was bought on eBay.

If I find any "new" things, I will stick them on here when it becomes available. Check back here from time to time, as you never know what might end up on here.

Click on the images you see in order to view a larger version. The larger version will fill your screen. It could take a while to come up if you have a slow computer.

I'm trying to get this page done and uploaded before a storm hits. If there's any problems with this page let me know and I will try to fix them. Let me know if you have trouble reading any of the text on here.

Images on this page are for instructional purposes only. If I am violating your copyright please let me know and I will remove the offending images.

If you want to contact me about this page, please click here to go to the feedback page.

These below are some "old" milk bottle caps. The dairies were in Littlefield, Texas. Notice the fourth cap, it says, G.C. Vaught on it. The reason I say it is from Littlefield, is because on the back it has written in pencil, "Littlefield, Tx". The eBay seller thought it was from Littlefield too. If you know for sure whether or not the G. C. Vaught dairy was in Littlefield, can you let me know?

I know very early in his musical career, Waylon Jennings played at a dairy or creamery in Littlefield. I have no idea which one of these it was if any.

I'm also a "keen" bottle collector (as they would say in England). If you know of any bottles for sale which were from these dairies, let me know. I would think about purchasing them.

The G. C. Vaught milk cap is interesting for another reason. It says, "Grade A Raw Milk" on it. Can you believe it! I wish we could buy good quality raw milk in the stores here!! If you want to know more about the health benefits of raw milk, visit, http://www.realmilk.com/.

As usual click on the picture to view a larger image.

Miscellaneous Littlefield things I have found over the years. Except for the picture just under this text, you can click on the images in order to view a larger version. Text to the right of the image is the explanation of that image.

If anyone knows anything about the "stock" certificate below, can you let me know please?

This is a calendar from the local newspaper.

Littlefield Golden Anniversary Association 1 Share FRONT

This was found when my father died. I wrote the bank and found there was no way to redeem this.

I'm not really sure how this "stock" worked. But I suspect that this is how the organizers of the celebration paid for it all.

Littlefield Golden Anniversary Association BACK

Printed text on back of share certificate.

Rubber stamped text found on the back of the certificate.

Below you will find my collection of postcards depicting Littlefield, Texas. I have been a collector of postcards since the late 70's or early 1980's. Some of these I bought in Littlefield. I have bought a great deal of the ones below on eBay. As far as I know, these are the only Littlefield postcards that I have. There could accidentally be more in the drawer upstairs. And of course, I am apt to find more on eBay. If I get any new ones, I'll stick them on here when it becomes available.

Some of the photographs were taken in the 1940's probably. Some were taken in the late 1930's. I am only guessing as to when they were taken. A knowledgeable person could date them by looking at the cars. Another thing, just because the photo on a postcard was taken in X year, that doesn't mean the postcard itself dates from that time. I have some postcards with "old" photographs on them but yet they were fairly recently printed. Sometimes a company will reproduce old photographs on postcards. In the case of souvenir postcards of a place, sometimes a company will keep reproducing old images because --- I don't know why exactly. I just know I find them new in souvenir shops. Perhaps they either sell regardless of the age of the image; or the company doesn't pay for new images.

The card with the Lamb County Courthouse photo, was taken by Nelson C. Smith. He evidently took lots of postcard photos. On the back is a message from Mr. Smith to a postcard collector. This is one of the neatest postcards in my whole collection. It is the most recent card I purchased on eBay. (early 2009) Some of the other cards are similar to the Nelson C. Smith card. The backs were printed upside down compared to the image on the front. Most postcards have the side reserved for the message printed with the same orientation as the front picture. I have no idea if all the photos on the postcards with the backs upside down, were taken by Mr. Smith. I've tried to find out more about Nelson C. Smith but didn't find anything. Either I didn't look hard enough or there isn't much online about him. I think I might have other postcards with his name on them. I am not sure the seller of this card realized that the photographer had typed a message on the back of the postcard. If they had known this, I'm sure buying this postcard might have been cost prohibitive.

If you know anything about the people mentioned on these cards, do let me know. It would be interesting to learn anything I can about these people. I type in the messages off the back of the cards where there is one. That way you won't have to decipher the handwriting. The spelling is their's. I include the backs of the postcards so you can see the handwriting and other info. If you see a ? in an odd place, after any text, that is because I couldn't make out what I was looking at. I wasn't sure I was typing in the correct text.

Oh! The lines you see on some postcards are a problem with the scanning process. When they scan they get enlarged. The enlargeing process produces the lines.

To the right of the images, is text about the postcards. Let me know if you find this layout confusing and I will try to make it easier to look at.

Click on the images you see in order to view a larger version. The larger version will fill your screen. It could take a while to come up if you have a slow computer.

Images on this page are for instructional purposes only. If I am violating your copyright please let me know and I will remove the offending images.

If you want to contact me about this page, please click here to go to the feedback page.

This is the "old" Post Office in Littlefield. Judging by the number on the card and the fact that I have similar ones, there is a set of these. I just have to find the rest now.

Main Street, Looking North. Postmark: August 17, 1949 Littlefield TX Hand-written text: "Wed Nite Dear Betty, We made our trip just fine, been enjoying the cool weather here, don't know when we will get back going to Ruby's Wed. sometime might go on to N.M. don't know yet. I have really been canning here and been having a grand time so we'll be seeing you all Love Lillie". It was sent to: "Miss Betty Anz Star Route Clifton, Texas".

Here are some signs you can see in this scene if you look at the original with a magnifying glass, hold your tongue right and pray you don't blind yourself in the process....

Grocery Market (Coke Sign)

DO NOT PARK TRUCKS & TRAILERS ON THIS STREET

W.J. Aldridgege ?

Brittain Pharmacy (prescriptions-Coke sign)

Palace Theatre

Bra___? Hardware

Butter Krust Bread (on the side of a van)

Replins Dry Goods

The Florsheim Shoe

Main Street again. Looks like this was possibly sent to a fellow postcard collector? At least that is my guess. I do not know what it was, the "type or types" of Mrs. Hannah was looking for. The back of this card was printed upside down. I wonder if this photo was taken by Nelson C. Smith? Postmark: Anton Feb 18? 1946 Hand-written text: Hello. Thanks for the card. What type or types do you prefer?? Come again soon. Reggie Rea Box 176 Anton, Texas It was sent to: Mrs. Cyril Hannah 1723 Parker St. Berkeley 3, Calif. Hand-written text: Mrs. Hannah? wrote on the card, "Ans. April 17". I take that to mean, "Answered April 17". I wonder what she said.

High School The back of this one was printed upside down as well. Hand-written text: There are two Xs on the front of the card marking different rooms of the school. On the back it says, "The top X is the study hall which I am in the second and fourth periods. The X on the bottom is where I meet my music class." I think a teacher may have written this. Would a student have two study halls? A teacher would "meet", "my" music class? When I got this, it almost seemed like I was looking at something similar to a prison photo, "I'm in cell X come get me out".

This is the Grade School Hand-written text: "Fred Hollaway, April 30, 1940". I tried looking Fred up in my Littlefield, Ex Students book, but I mislaid my copy. I don't know if he is in there. Who knows, he could have been the photographer.

Cotton Oil Mill My grandfather Joe Bitner worked at this place hauling __ I forget what. (Cotton seed?) The message on this one I found particularly amusing. The woman wants someone to keep her husband occupied while she is gone. I know she meant it innocently. She wanted him to be busy so he wouldn't "stray" probably. But in light of our modern culture it doesn't come across so innocently. Or is my mind "in the gutter"? Postmark: May 7, 1940 Littlefield TX Hand-written text: "Hello Honies, We arrived PM and I sure surprised everyone. Hope you can keep my husband occupied. I will write later. Love Freda & K. L.". It was sent to: "Mr. & Mrs. Johnnie Renfro. 390 Adams St. Beaumont Tex."

Lamb County Courthouse This was taken in the 1950's? This was indeed taken by Nelson C. Smith. It looks like he was writing to a postcard collector. The back was printed upside down. Postmark: Dec. 14, 1951 Farwell TX Hand-typed text: "Dear Mrs. Weddle: Rec'd your letter. I do not care to exchange as I do not have time. I have some one hundered seventy five negatives of different C.H. of Texas. My price is eight cents for prints like this one. Sincerely, " It was sent to: "Mrs. Alice Weddle R.F.D.2 Box 164 Valley Center, Kansas".

I doubt this is a photo of Littlefield. No postmark. This is a pre-printed postcard from the National Farm Loan Association of Littlefield. It was addressed to, "Box Holder Local". It was advertising Federal Land Bank Loans. The photo reminds me of my great-grandfather G.W. "George" Bitner. He farmed with mules.

These photos are probably Texas, but they could be anywhere. They are probably not Littlefield. Just a generic souvenir postcard.

Crescent Park Motel in the 1950's probably judging by the cars out front.

Crescent Park Motel in the 1960's judging by the cars in the photo.

Broadmoor Courts

This was taken in the early 1970's maybe? I think it is a great photo. I like seeing the signs lit up. I remember the early to mid 1970's doing school and shoe shopping in downtown Littlefield. There were lots of stores to shop in then.

Roden Drugs Notice the red Corvair in the picture? My aunt had a Corvair, back then. I wonder if that's her car? Message Written: 6-3-67 Hand-written text: "Went to Littlefield by myself, to get my glasses adjusted & a screw put in Pamis. Pami took Bill to Lubbock to catch a plane home to Jackson Mississippi. She is keeping his car."

First National Bank

I noticed when I bid on these via eBay, that banks, motels and court houses are very popular subjects for postcards. If ones with those photos come up, I don't always win the auctions. Sometimes lots of people bid on them.

Notice this one. The tree out front of the bank is small. If you look at the next photo it was taken later. This is probably very early in Littlefield's modernization of the downtown.

This photo was taken in the late 60's or early 70's. The trees are much larger.

Downtown Littlefield

This one says, "Residence Section. Littlefield Texas". Is this a Nelson C. Smith card? I can't remember if the back is printed upside down or not. I'm not sure where in Littlefield this is. I wouldn't mind having a house like this, but where I live it would be cost prohibitive. If you know any more about this photo, let me know.