Terre Haute Postcards

More postcards from my collection...

Bankrupt Store Boots and Shoes Trade Card

I think this is the store opened around 1883 by N. A. Maag & Co. and which resulted in a court case because as an insolvent debtor Nancy Maag's husband, Jacob C. Maag, could not use his wife's name as a mere device to cover and keep from his creditors the assets and profits of a mercantile business which is in truth his own. Details of the court case can be found at bulk.resource.org  (PDF).

Bartley Furniture Mart

This unused postcard has the following printed text...

Bartley Furniture Mart
Located 3 miles North of city limits on U.S. Route #41
Terre Haute, Indiana
Indiana's finest retail furniture store, over 16,000 sq. ft.
of beautiful furniture on display. We guarantee more
quality for the money. Free delivery.

Open daily except Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
C. L. Bartley, Sr., Owner

Pub. by Martin's Photo Shop,
681 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute, Ind.
21246-B

Genuine Natural Color
Made by Dexter Press, Inc., West Nyack, N.Y.

I found this snippet of information on the Tribune Star website...

May 1958 - C. L. Bartley Sr. put all the furniture in stock on sale to empty his Bartley Furniture Mart located seven miles north of Terre Haute on U.S. 41. Plans called for the construction of a new and larger store with Mr. and Mrs. Harry Frey as managers.

Berry's Restaurant

This matchbook has the following text...

Berry's
Where The Famous Gather
715 Wabash Avenue
Terre Haute, Ind.
Phone Crawford 7250

Great Food
Unexcelled Service
Air Conditioning

Punch, Biel's Tobacco Store

This unused postcard has the following printed text...

"Punch" colorful wooden figure stood in front
of Biel's tobacco Store, 420 Wabash Ave., Terre
Haute, Ind., from 1867 to 1957. Was created from
the butt end of a sailing ship's mast by a New York
artist who died before "Judy" could be carved.
Property of Vigo County Historical Society.

46321-C
Photographer Richard Bruce, 1126 S. 20th St., Terre Haute, Ind. 47803
Made by Dexter Press, Inc, West Nyack, New York

Punch, Biel's Tobacco Store

This unused postcard has the following printed text...

169693
Pub. by Floyd Mitchell, Bridgeton, Indiana 47836

Terre Haute, Indiana
"Punch" colorful wooden figure stood in front
of Biel's tobacco Store, 420 Wabash Ave., Terre
Haute, Ind., from 1867 to 1957. Was created from
the butt end of a sailing ship's mast by a New York
artist who died before "Judy" could be carved.
Property of Vigo County Historical Society.

Photo by Mitchell

By coincidence, the day I added this postcard to my collection, April 5th, 2008, I received an email from Ed Davidson. He included the text from a 2004 newspaper article...

Punch brought to Terre Haute in 1867

By Linda Patrick / Special to the Tribune-Star

February 15, 2004

Before the days of radio and television commercials, merchants used carved wooden signs and figures to advertise their wares. Each specialty shop had its own symbol. For example, a bear and cubs for a furrier, a sailor for a ships chandlery, or a wooden Indian for the tobacconist shop.

In 1865, Mr. Fred J. Biel went to New York to buy a figure to stand in front of his tobacco store. Now, the characters of Punch and Judy were very popular at this time, even appearing in their own magazine, Punch. Mr. Biel chose these two characters instead of the more common cigar store Indian.

Our Punch was carved from the base of a mast from a sailing ship. Unfortunately, his carver died before his companion Judy could be created. So, the lone Punch was brought to Terre Haute in 1867 where he stood in at least four locations near and along Wabash Avenue. The last location was 420 Wabash.

In those early days, our Punch had quite a social life. It was customary for proprietors to move their outside displays inside the store before closing at night. On those occasions when Mr. Biel forgot to bring Punch in, being on wheels, it was not uncommon for people to cart him off for a tour of the local drinking establishments. Drinks were on Punch, of course. I wonder how many New Years Eve parties he attended. He would be returned to his spot the next morning covered with IOUs, which Mr. Biel duly paid.

Things are quieter for Punch now. Mr. Biel's granddaughters, Mrs. Mary R. Williams and Mrs. Anna J. Bradford donated him to the Historical Society around 1951, where he stands in the Gift Shop. Come by and see him sometime. I'm sure he'd be pleased as Punch to see you.

A portrait by Henry T. Biel

Henry T. Biel Photography

The 1880 census lists Henry T. Biel, age 25, as a photographer at 417 1/2 Wabash Avenue. Henry was born in April 1855 in Wisconsin to German immigrants. When he was 45 years old (in 1900) he had been married 21 years to Francina who was born in Ohio in February 1856.

Aside from his studio on Wabash Avenue, the 1890 Terre Haute City Directory has Henry T. Biel residing at 1621 Chestnut Street. William M. Bundy is listed as working for H. T. Biel, and living at 1515 Chestnut Street.

Source: RootsWeb

Big Four Bridge

This unused postcard has the following text...

13566
The Valentine-Souvenir Co., New York.
Printed in U.S.A.
Superior Quality Famous Throughout The World

This page created 7th March 2005, last modified 24th June 2008