Jordano (Peter) Santa Barbara Postcard Collection

Collection — Container: AR-2026-002

Identifier: AR-2026-002

Staff Only

Santa Barbara Bay c.1908, Peter Jordano Santa Barbara Postcard Collection, Gledhill Library, Santa Barbara Historical Museum

Scope and Contents

The Peter Jordano Santa Barbara Postcard Collection contains approximately 7,300 unique postcards gathered and organized by businessman and collector Peter Jordano. The collection emphasizes the City of Santa Barbara, California in particular, neighboring coastal towns, the County of Santa Barbara in general, and the California Missions. The collection includes examples from the Undivided Back Era (1901-1907), Divided Back or Golden Age (1907 to 1915), White Border Era (1915-1930), Real Photo Postcards (1906-1950s), Linen Era (1930-1945), and Photochrom or Chrome Era (1939 to present).

Dates

1901 - 1989

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head Archivist of the Gledhill Library.

Biographical / Historical

The first American postcard was developed in 1873 by the Morgan Envelope Factory of Springfield, Massachusetts. These first postcards depicted the Interstate Industrial Exposition that took place in Chicago. Later in 1873, Post Master John Creswell introduced the first pre-stamped "Postal Cards", often called "penny postcards". Postcards were made because people were looking for an easier way to send quick notes. Postcards, in the form of government postal cards and privately printed souvenir cards, became very popular as a result of the Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago in 1893, after postcards featuring buildings were distributed at the fair.

Extent

7,320 Postcards (in 35 albums)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Peter Jordano Santa Barbara Postcard Collection visually documents the County of Santa Barbara in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through the organization and presentation of postcards; an extremely popular tourist momento intended for sending written messages through the mail without an envelope.

Arrangement

The collection is organized into 21 series by locale or subject. Within each series or subseries (album), the postcards are further organized by subtopics. Duplicates are grouped together:

Series 1 - Bath House – Castle Rock – Carpinteria

Series 2 - Beach Scenes

Series 3 - Birds Eye View

Series 4 - California Missions

Series 5 - Churches – Santa Barbara Buildings

Series 6 - Courthouse – Southern Pacific Railroad – Serigraphs

Series 7 - Santa Barbara Earthquake

Series 8 - El Paseo – De La Guerra – Goleta – Summerland

Series 9 - Fiesta

Series 10 - Hotels

Series 11 - Hope Ranch – Semana Nautica – Flower Festival – Christmas Pageant

Series 12 - Mountain Drive – Mission Canyon – Fold Outs

Series 13 - Presidio

Series 14 - Residences

Series 15 - Santa Barbara Historical Museums – Lighthouses

Series 16 - Saint Anthony's Seminary

Series 17 - Santa Barbara Buildings

Series 18 - Santa Barbara Mission

Series 19 - Other Santa Barbara Scenery

Series 20 - Souvenir and Private Mailing Cards

Series 21 - Miscellaneous

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Peter and Gerd Jordano

Related Materials

Fritsche (John C.) Santa Barbara Postcard Collection, Gledhill Library, Santa Barbara Historical Museum. https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c8np2cq1