PHM Receives Extensive Postcard Collection Donation
Hudson Highland residents Barry & MJ Ross donate
extensive early 20th century postcard collection to Putnam History Museum
The Putnam History Museum has received a spectacular and important donation to its historic collection. Last month, Hudson Highland residents Barry and Mary Jean (MJ) Ross donated their Hudson River Postcard Collection to the museum. The collection is comprised of 240 distinct early 20th century postcards. The postcards feature scenes of the Hudson River Valley – and related views, activities, landmarks, and landscapes – from New York Harbor to the river’s source north of Albany.
PHM staff agree that this is one of the most comprehensive Hudson River postcard collections that they have seen and that it provides a thoughtfully curated and comprehensive journey throughout the early 20th century Hudson River Valley.
Barry started the collection when, about fifteen years ago at a Cold Spring antique emporium, he saw – among the photos, paintings, and other ephemera – a postcard of the Highlands. 240 cards later Barry and MJ believe that now is the time to find a permanent home for the collection so that it can be made available for research and – more importantly – enjoyed by the public. With that goal in mind, the “Barry C. and Mary Jean (MJ) Ross Hudson River Postcard Collection” will be catalogued, digitized, and made available on both the Putnam History Museum’s digital database (https://putnam.pastperfectonline.com/) and the larger New York Heritage database website.
New York Heritage (https://nyheritage.org/) is a research portal for students, educators, historians, genealogists, and others who are interested in learning more about the people, places, and institutions of historical New York State. The site provides immediate free access to more than 170 distinct digital collections that reflect New York State’s long history.
The collection will also be shown at the museum through various exhibitions and programs in the months and years to come.