Engle Family Postcards ~ Half Way House to Pikes Peak - 1905

This is part of a series of posts in which I am sharing the Engle family vintage postcards that were found in a second-hand shop in Galway, Ireland. To view more of these postcards, please visit The Engle Family Postcard Adventure tab at the top of this blog.

The postcard I'm sharing with you today is dated June 21, 1905. It was addressed to Mrs. R. Engle, Sioux Falls, S. D.



I think it's fascinating that only the city was needed for this postcard to be delivered successfully to Mrs. R. Engle.



Mrs. R. Engle was Sarah Amanda (Waterman) Engle. She was my maternal 2nd great-grandaunt. This postcard was sent to Sarah from Chas. A. Engle.

Chas A. Engle is short for Charles Albert Engle. He was one of Sarah's sons.

It's interesting that there is no space for a message on the back of this postcard. In fact, it specifically says, "This side is exclusively for the address." You can see that statement at the bottom left corner on the back of the postcard. So, what did Charles do? He just wrote a little message to his mom on the front of the postcard.

I decided to enlarge the writing on the front of the postcard for easier viewing.



Here's the transcription of what Charles wrote:

Denver 6/21 – 1905

Am having fine time

Can eat 4 times a day.

Chas A. Engle

In the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Charles is listed as living with his parents, Richard and Sarah Engle, in Sioux Falls Ward 6, Minnehaha, South Dakota.¹



Charles was 35 years old, single, and his occupation was listed as a Grocery Salesman.

The postcard I'm sharing with you today shows the Half Way House to Pikes Peak. According to an article about the Manitou and Pike's Peak Railway on Wikipedia, there was a Half Way House Hotel near this railway.

A Wikipedia article about Pikes Peak states that it is "a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains." It is 14,115 feet high and is a designated National Historic Landmark.

Charles wrote this postcard while he was in Denver, according to his message. So, what was Charles doing in Denver in June of 1905? Was he there on business and just bought this pretty postcard at a shop because he liked it? Or was he there on vacation and bought this particular postcard because he actually went to the top of Pikes Peak?

If Charles actually did travel to the top of Pikes Peak, did he stop at the Half Way House on his way to the summit? Did he actually stay at this hotel?

And what did he mean by "can eat 4 times a day?" What was that about? If Charles did stay at this hotel, maybe they fed their guests 4 times a day.

So many questions remain about this postcard and why Charles purchased it. Unfortunately, at this time, I don't have the answers to these questions. But, it is a very interesting postcard nonetheless.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jana

© 2014 Copyright by Jana Last, All Rights Reserved

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1 Year: 1900; Census Place: Sioux Falls Ward 6, Minnehaha, South Dakota; Roll: 1553; Page: 12A; Enumeration District: 0265; FHL microfilm: 1241553.^↩