Pre-WWI Oviedo Post Office

This 1909 postcard was sent from Oviedo, Florida, to Miss May L. Perham in Providence, Rhode Island, on November 27. Franked with a one-cent green Benjamin Franklin stamp, it features an Oviedo circular handstamp timed at 8 AM. The card was produced by The Rotograph Co., a prolific New York-based publisher known for their high-quality "Solar Prints" manufactured in Germany, which were popular during the golden age of postcards. The address side demonstrates the period's postal regulations, with a clear vertical divider separating the message area from the recipient's information at 53 Waterman St., an address located in the historic College Hill neighborhood near Brown University.

The picture side of this postcard features a high-quality color image of a cotton branch, showcasing both the green protective bolls and the distinctive white, fluffy fibers of a ripened plant. This botanical choice reflects the agricultural importance of cotton in the Southern United States during the early 20th century. The sender used the bottom margin of the image to write a short, informal message to the recipient, dated Nov. 26. 09, which is transcribed as: "Your cards at hand, only thing from home. Expect you are having a lovely time, wish we were there too, both finely. Mrs P. says me too, your friends C. a. f. W. P."