The History of “Greetings From…” Postcards

The iconic “Greetings From…” postcards of the early 20th century were invented by a German immigrant named Curt Teich. The printer began producing brightly colored, linen-textured postcards with the “Greetings From…” theme in 1931. As cars became more affordable with the introduction of the Model T in 1913 and subsequent automobiles, and as American roads slowly improved with the construction of iconic throughways like Route 66, which was completed in 1937, road travel and tourism became increasingly popular pastimes in America. Teich’s cards helped foster and capture the sense of wonder that Americans experienced as they took car trips to see other parts of the country for the first time. Teich’s company produced an estimated 150,000 different postcards with the theme over the years. The postcards advertised attractions and towns as well as local businesses like motels and diners. Tourists could purchase and mail them for a penny each. Sometimes the postcards were even free at certain businesses or tourist destinations. They became popular souvenirs but also functioned as a quick communication tool — and a way of showing off your vacation to family and friends, just like we do with social media today! Teich even had a team of sales agents that helped take reference photos and manage accounts across the country, ensuring that even small towns and remote locations were represented. His “Greetings From…” postcard format wasn’t an entirely new concept, however; Teich adapted it from the popular “Gruss Aus…” (meaning “Greetings From…”) postcards that were already popular in his native Germany. However, he adapted the largely staid German version to instead feature large 3D letters, vignettes of regional scenes, and boldly saturated colors. By the mid-1950s, the Teich aesthetic began to fade and was replaced with hyperrealist, photographic postcards instead. Still, the now-vintage aesthetic of Teich’s postcards remains a cultural touchpoint as well as a window into what travel was like in America in the first half of the 20th century.