Don’t you just love getting mail. I think that today so little people send mail that it’s special when we receive some. I hoard my handwritten letters and cards keeping them in my desk too look back on.

Here we have a postcard that Uncle John Wenke sent to his sister Rena in 1919. The postmark is September 13, 1919 in Yellowstone, Wyoming. It is addressed to her at the family home they shared in Peoria at the corner of Rohman and Sterling Avenues. It appears that John also put that the house had a Rural Route address.

Yellowstone was established as the nations first National Park on March 1, 1872. Signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant, America’s first national park was set aside to preserve and protect the scenery, cultural heritage, wildlife, geologic and ecological systems and processes in their natural condition for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. Yellowstone encompasses 3,472 square miles (2,221,766 acres) which makes it larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined.

While Uncle John got to see the Teton’s and wonders of Yellowstone in person, I’m glad Rena saved it so that we have this record of his trip. To me it’s just as beautiful as the park is.

This is as close to deciphering Uncle John’s penmanship as I could get. It’s faded in spots and he used very little punctuation. Uncle John writes on 9-11-1919: Well I am at Old Faithful Hotel now. Having a fine time will write a letter after I get through the park for I’d not have any time here with go all the time. John