I don't know about you, but I find a postcard featuring the Wetumpka State Penitentiary to be strange. Yet such postcards seem to have been a thing at one time. Let's investigate this one.
The Alabama State Penitentiary opened near Wetumpka on the Coosa River in 1842. Both men and women were housed in the facility until 1922, when a new men's prison opened, and Wetumpka became female only. In 1942 the new Julia Tutwiler Prison for Women opened nearby and the state had little use for its original penitentiary. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, but by the end of the 20th century every building had been demolished. All that remains is an historical marker and a few brick chimneys and pillars.
With help from my wife Dianne I managed to transcribe most of the message and other information on the card. Postmarked from Tallassee, the date seems to be December 6 [?, that may be 6 PM when the card was mailed], 1912 [?].. The card is addressed to Miss Nammie [Nannie?] Woods, Route 2 Tallassee. So the card was mailed from Tallassee to someone in Tallassee. Hmmm...
"Dear little one:" the message begins. "How are you nowadays? I am fine and dandy. Listen: I saw Willie Saturday night at the party. Will tell you all when I see you. Be sure and go to Mt. Olive 2nd Sun. Yours, Peala [?]." An added note seems to say, "Frankie [?] says hello."
Well, what do we have here but a quick note from more than 100 years ago that's full of mysteries. Who were Nammie and Peala? I found women of both names in Alabama via Ancestry.com, but none fit the place or year. Who was Willie? What party? Who gave it and who came? What secrets were revealed when Nammie and Peala got together? Who was Frankie?
The reference to Mt. Olive and Sunday may indicate some special event at church. Perhaps a revival was coming or a dinner on the grounds being held.
This card was one of many from the Alfred Holzman Company of Chicago. Holzman was a German immigrant who founded one of the nation's largest postcard companies. Unfortunately, it closed in 1910. You can see a postcard of the factory here. If the year of mailing 1912 is correct on this card, then the company's products may have still been available in Alabama.
If any reader has a better interpretation of the postmark and text on this card, please let us know in the comments!
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