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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A TO ZAX - A Comprehensive Dictionary for Genealogists and Historians
Barbara Jean Evans
Find thousands of unfamiliar terms,abbreviations, little-used or old-fashioned words one might encounter in the course of genealogical research. Also includes a list of Dutch given names. 1995. 300 pages.
Softcover
Item# 4012
Price: $16
Members: $15
Shenandoah County Birth Records of Free Born Children (1853 - 1871)
Elisabeth Risdon
Alphabetical listing of recorded births during the time period listed. 1995. 89 pages. 8 1/2 x 11.
Softcover
Item# 4005
Price: $16
Members: $15
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Under Every Tree - A Guide to Finding Your Roots in Virginia • Phyllis Brock Silber • A source book for finding primary genealogy resources in Virginia: a courthouse, library or historical society. Where to visit in every county in the state and how to get there. 2016. 220 pages. Softcover • Item #4019 • Price: $21 Members: $20
German Origins of Jost Hite (1685 - 1761) • Klaus Wust, Jones & Connor • Birth place, baptism and Hite's marriage to Anna Maria Merckle. 1979. 45 pages. Softcover • Item #4008 • Price: $11 Members: $10
In Search of Your German Roots • Angus Baxter • This book is designed to help you trace your German ancestry, not only in Germany, but in al the German-speaking areas of Europe, from the Baltic to the Crimea, from the Czech Republic to Belgium. This 5th edition highlights all of the recent developments – new facilities, new websites, and newly-available records. The most comprehensive guide to German roots available. 2015. 140 pages. 5th Edition. Softcover • Item #4017 • Price: $22 Members: $21
A Diary of Henry Saint John Rinker (1862 - 1867) • Daniel Warrick Burruss & Sandra Helsley Yelton • His account of events commencing January 1862 and ending December 1867. 1999. 111 pages. Softcover • Item #4004 • Price: $16 Members: $15DOWNLOAD BOOK ORDER FORMS HERE
