Wish You Were Here

Postcards

From the beginning of time, people have anxiously awaited word from a loved one far away from home. Postcards were first used in London around 1680. They were introduced into the United States mail system in the mid-1800s as a simple way to pass along messages. With the advent of photography, "Picture Post Cards" became popular as a way to show the folks back home their surroundings or to tell them "I wish you were here." Stamps were first created for postal cards in 1847, but were not required until 1855. In 1863, three classes of mail were developed. Soon money orders, special delivery, postal cards, registered mail and free rural delivery were instituted by the United States Postal Service. The use of picture postcards became popular during the Civil War as photography came of age and large numbers of young men were sending news and pictures home to family and sweethearts left behind. The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics has generated a number of postcards - some of the images have been reproduced on hospital postcards for over 75 years.

The State University of Iowa at Iowa City was founded in 1847 by the first General Assembly of Iowa. Starting with only "The Normal Department," located in the "First Capitol" of the State of Iowa, the University now comprises nine colleges, five schools and several additional and interrelated divisions. 2. Iowa State University Hospital [Now UIHC] Iowa City, Iowa Constructed 1898 - currently Seashore Hall

The campus of the University includes upwards of 386 acres and accommodates about fifty buildings. In the original Old Capitol Campus the buildings have their focus. To this campus, which has been enlarged from time to time by purchase, extensive new grounds have been added upon the slopes west of the Iowa River. Connecting these divisions of the campus are two concrete bridges. 3. Children's Hospital, Iowa City Constructed 1919

Below the University grounds a concrete dam has been built across the Iowa River providing, by turbine and dynamos, light and power for the University and affording an extensive waterfront for the enlarged campus and facilities for aquatic sports.

In harmony with the considerable growth of the University in latter years, much attention has been paid to landscape gardening and to the architecture of the University buildings.

4. Medical Laboratories, University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Constructed 1927

The principal buildings of the University are shown in the folder.

Text from postcard cover, circa 1955

5. University General Hospital
Postmarked October 4, 1954