Linda Gross is an avid collector of historical ephemera. Based in Wilmington, Delaware, she worked for more than twenty-three years as a reference librarian at Hagley Museum and Library. Deltiology is the study and collecting of postcards. While postcards existed as early as 1840, postcard collecting became popular during the early twentieth century. It was an accessible and inexpensive hobby, as postcards were plentiful. The postcards in this collection depict motels (including motor courts and cabins), restaurants, roadside attractions, and scenic views from thirty-ones states across the United States. The postcards depict famous and notable destinations like Hollywood Boulevard and the Lincoln Memorial, as well regional attractions and small tourism-based businesses.

Collectors of railroad memorabilia often also collected postcards. Railroad postcards generally picture stations, engines, bridges, route scenery, railcar interiors, and accidents. Some collectors sought specific railroads. This collection is over a thousand postcards related to railroads. The collection has been arranged into two series: Railroad stations and Railroad cars and trains. This is an artificial collection assembled from various donors.

Wilmington is the largest city in Delaware located on the Christiana and Brandywine Rivers. Postcard views of miscellaneous sights in and around Wilmington, Delaware.

Wilmington is Delaware’s largest city and can be found where the Christina River and the Brandywine Creek meet near the Delaware River. The city prospered throughout the Industrial Revolution, but the period of rapid economic growth came with the Civil War. By 1920, the population had reached over 110,000 residents. Wilmington experienced significant population loss after World War II as the suburban areas grew and I-95 dissected some of the city’s more stable neighborhoods. These items are postcards are of miscellaneous views of Wilmington, Delaware sites.