"Tourist Court." Now there's a term I haven't heard in a while. The Blue Eagle Tourist Court shown on the bottom of this postcard reminds me of similar-looking places my family passed on the way to Florida when I was a little girl. We never stayed at one since we always liked to wake up with an ocean view, but I was always curious about those long rows of rooms in the "tourist courts." The tea room up top, by contrast, looks much more traditional, just as I'd expect a tea room to look in 1943 when this postcard was mailed.
"Stopped at these cabins on way to Knoxville Tenn. Seeing more of the country. Will try and answer your letter, but don't wait for it. Write soon. Cora." (At least I think it says "Write" soon. What else could that word be?) The postcard was sent to Mrs. Jack Gibson of Boston, Mass., and you have to wonder why Cora thought it was OK to ask Mrs. G to contact her while indicating her own letter might not be so prompt. Interesting! The other feature I noted about this postcard was the stamp, which says "For Defense." I've long known that war
bonds were sold during World War II, but it wasn't until recently that I learned that war
stamps were also sold. Now all that's left to wonder about is whether Cora ever wrote that letter.
Update: Some of you may have seen the postcard from two weeks ago of the Log House Tea Room in Washington's Birthplace, Va. After it appeared, I got the loveliest e-mail from a woman named Toni who was able to add to the history lesson. If you'd like to see the terrific information she provided, go
here!
Another very interesting postcard! And I enjoyed reading the research on the previous card, too. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteWe had several tourist courts in our little town located on U.S. 25 (before I-75). I remember one having a small restaurant, but no "tea rooms." What a fun memory!
ReplyDeleteHow fun to get more information on the log house tea room.
ReplyDeleteI always have been fascinated by those roadside tourist courts and love seeing this. Wouldn't it be fun to refurbish a place like this and have a tearoom there in the middle?
Wow, that was great to see all the info gathered on these two ladies from the card! How cool (and a lot of knowledge and patience to do the searching!)
ReplyDeleteLove hearing TEA history! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI just happened on your blog when looking for Tea Sandwiches for my up coming party in April. I found your lovely postcard and had to write to tell you I was born and raised in Roanoke and never knew there was a tea room on Route 11. Route 11 was the main highway before I81 went though. Many lovely towns along that route. I now live in Blacksburg just 30 minutes sw of Roanoke. My name is Carolyn Ansley. Thanks for posting
ReplyDeleteKen was a student with quadriplegia who could not move. He was graduating from high school, and a facilitator got his school Desi friends, Indian friends or Pakistani friends together with Ken to help look at what type of career he would have. What would Ken do with his life after he graduated?
ReplyDeleteGet together with others and brainstorm: where could we find a person interested in being this person’s friend?
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I'm enjoying this series and thank you for the history - really neat! Joanie
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