The November 2019 postcard collection on display, at the Shenandoah County Historic Courthouse in Woodstock VA, is from the personal collection of Edgar Lamma III. Edgar has been collecting these postcards for about 20 years and is only one of a handful of individuals that he’s encountered that collect these postcards. Shenandoah Publishing House used to publish the Northern Virginia Daily newspaper.
SPH postcards were printed in varying shades of black, green and brown inks. There are only a few known postcards that contain any color. Several “logos” were used on the backside of postcards, some of which are on display. SPH postcards predominately cover the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and West Virginia. Most cover historic landmarks many of which deal with civil war sites.
Most SPH postcards are known to be numbered from 1 through 331. There is one odd postcard numbered 400. There are 34 numbers for which a postcard has not yet been identified. Some postcards were printed without an identifying number in the lower left corner on the backside. Of the known SPH postcards there are: (a) 244 in Virginia; (b) 49 in West Virginia; (c) 4 in Maryland; (d) 2 in Pennsylvania; (e) 1 in North Carolina; and, (f) 1 in Washington DC.
One of Edgar’s favorite SPH postcards is directly above the copy block. Notice that he is sitting on two chairs.
There are several publications known to contain block images (with text) that appear on the frontside of SPH postcards. These include: (a) A History of Shenandoah County by John W. Wayland; (b) The prospectus for John W. Wayland’s book titled The History of Old Shenandoah; (c) Shenandoah County Geography Supplement; and, (d) How Fair the Way to Strasburg.
Edgar has indexed 79 publications, mostly hardbound books, that were printed by SPH. There are many, many more that Edgar has not yet documented.
• Foster a spirit of cooperation between existing organizations, writers, historians, genealogists, collectors, preservationists, and other members of the Shenandoah County community.
• Aid in the collection and creation of materials and publications about the history of Shenandoah County and ensure that they are preserved and made available to the community.
• Support efforts by citizens, organizations and government to preserve historic buildings and sites.
• Share history through programs and exhibits.
The Shenandoah County Historical Society was founded in 1985 and is established as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. It is completely volunteer driven. The Society is sustained by memberships, donations, grants and profits from book sales. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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Reflections: Early Schools of Shenandoah County
SCHS
Histories of the early schools throughout Shenandoah County, with photos and many handwritten entries. Originally published by SCHS in 1995. 1996. 390 pages. 8 1/2 x 11. 2nd edition.
Hardcover
Item# 4000
Price: $25
Members: $24
Schools in New Market - Shenandoah County, Virginia
Nancy Branner Stewart
Volume I (1766-1870). A history of the school in New Market during the dates indicated. Many photos. 1992. 172 pages.
Softcover
Item# 4001
Price: $16
Members: $15
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Reflections: Early Schools of Shenandoah County • SCHS • Histories of the early schools throughout Shenandoah County, with photos and many handwritten entries. Originally published by SCHS in 1995. 1996. 390 pages. 8 1/2 x 11. 2nd edition. Hardcover • Item #4000 • Price: $25 Members: $24
Schools in New Market - Shenandoah County, Virginia • Nancy Branner Stewart • Volume I (1766-1870). A history of the school in New Market during the dates indicated. Many photos. 1992. 172 pages. Softcover • Item #4001 • Price: $16 Members: $15
Shenandoah County Geography Supplement • Moore/Miller/Shoemaker • This Supplement was originally published in 1926 by the County School Board. It was revised, edited and republished by the Board in 1931. It was used as a teaching tool in the school classrooms. 2007 reprint. 39 pages. 8 1/2 x 11. Softcover • Item #4003 • Price: $10 Members: $10
Changes Pave The Way - Education In Shenandoah County 1977-2000 • Retired Teachers Association • A sequel to Echoes of Shenandoah. Filled with history and facts, this book also includes recollections of many of those who contributed to the writing of this book. 2002. 207 pages. Softcover • Item #4004 • Price: $15 Members: $15DOWNLOAD BOOK ORDER FORMS HERE
