Illinois Central Depot Kankakee IL 1909 Railroad Station Postcard For Sale

Illinois Central Depot in Kankakee, Ill. served as a local passenger and freight terminal for the Illinois Central Railroad from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reflecting the railroad\'s post-1851 expansion that tied central Illinois towns to Chicago and southern markets; sited on Commercial Street with a covered platform, adjacent railroad tracks and stacked railroad ties, the depot supported downtown commercial storefronts and the region’s agricultural shipments, while utility poles and awnings typify the period streetscape around the station.

Back:
that little smile I won\'t forget-
Hermany

📝 In-Scene Text
Not visible

🏢 Publisher Information
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💬 Captions
ILLINOIS CENTRAL DEPOT. KANKAKEE. ILL.

Here\'s the analysis of your postcard back image:

📮 Address
Miss Mattie Laws
West Baden, Ind.
Do Hotel Sutton

📅 Postmark & Stamp
**Postmark:** Circular postmark from GLENDALE, CAL. dated JUL 7 1909. It also includes \"H R.P.O.\", indicating it was processed by a Railway Post Office.
**Stamp:** A 1-cent green U.S. postage stamp depicting Benjamin Franklin. This is from the Washington-Franklin series (issued 1908-1922), commonly used for domestic postcard postage at the time.

🏛️ Publisher & Postal Note
**Publisher:** PUB. BY J. J. RONDY, KANKAKEE, ILL
**Printer/Process Note:** MEZZOGRAPH COMPANY OF CHICAGO (NOT INC.) (printed vertically on the left edge)
**Postal Notes:** \"WRITE MESSAGE HERE\", \"ADDRESS ONLY\", \"Post Card\" (main title)

📌 Context
This postcard was sent on July 7, 1909, during the \"Golden Age\" of postcards in the United States. The 1-cent stamp featuring Benjamin Franklin was the standard domestic rate for postcards. The postmark indicates the card originated from Glendale, California, and was processed by a Railway Post Office (R.P.O.), which was a common and efficient method for sorting and transporting mail across long distances by train in the early 20th century. The destination, West Baden, Indiana, was well-known for its mineral springs and luxurious hotels, such as the famous West Baden Springs Hotel. Miss Mattie Laws was likely either visiting or staying at the \"Hotel Sutton,\" which was another establishment in West Baden. The message, \"that little smile I won\'t forget- Hermany,\" is a short, personal, and affectionate note, typical of postcard communication of the era.

Note: Postcard information is read by AI and may contain errors. Please review images for accuracy.

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