City Square Park, Woodstock, IL - Panorama

City Square Park, Woodstock, IL - Panorama

This panorama postcard is slightly larger than two standard postcards and designed to be folded in half and mailed. The photo was taken from Johnson Street and shows the sweep of the park from Cass Street to Van Buren. The buildings include 100 Cass, all of Benton Street, the City Hall (Opera House), and two smaller buildings. The Spring House can be seen inside the park as well as the metal fountain in the center where the Soldier Monument now stands.

The panorama sky has a pinkish and blue wash, the trees and grass are a deep green, and the only building with any color is the red brown on the blacksmith's shop next to City Hall.

Comparing this panorama with the postcard "Park Scene, Woodstock, Ill." that has no information on the back other than "printed in Germany", we discover a bit of photo piracy--the two photos are identical.

The real publisher is E. C. Kropp of Milwaukee, who started in business in 1907. The postcard can be dated between then and 1910 (the postmark of the pirated card.) Kropp remained in business until 1956.

On the back of the panorama the Stamp Box lists the cost to send it:
"1 c to all Countries if writing your name only
2c to U.S., Canada and Mexico. 5c to all other countries, if writing a message"

121 W. Van Buren: City Hall
125 W. Van Buren" C. W. Hill Blacksmith

Jim Keefe Collection

c1907-1912