Postcard, Picture

Description

It is not presently clear why this postcard of a map of the Shaker Village was published. The publisher of the card is not noted. It is however, possible to suggest that the map was produced sometime between 1899 when construction of the new road from Lebanon Springs, NY, to Pittsfield, MA, was underway and August, 1908, the date when the Dairy Barn at the Second Order of the Church Family (aka: Center Family) burned. The publication date of this postcard can be narrowed. The card has a divided back -- one side for the address and one side for the message -- a practice that was first allowed by the U. S. Postal Service in September, 1907. Of course, it is possible that the postcard was printed considerable later based on an earlier map without regard to the fact of the barn burning.