Date of use: 1921 USA

Kodak Park Postcard – Rochester, New York View

This postcard depicts the entrance to the main production and administrative complex of the Eastman Kodak Company in Rochester, New York, a site that played a central role in the development of the photographic industry in the United States. The image on the front shows part of Kodak Park, a large industrial campus known for its orderly layout, brick factory buildings, and carefully planned green spaces.

Kodak Park was designed not merely as a manufacturing site, but as a modern industrial campus reflecting the company's organizational structure and technical ambition. The surrounding lawns, walkways, and symmetrical architecture emphasized a sense of scale, discipline, and efficiency. Postcards such as this were widely produced to present the company's facilities to visitors, employees, and correspondents, offering a visual impression of Kodak's corporate identity.

The color printing reflects the characteristic style of early twentieth-century postcards. Originally based on black-and-white photographs, the images were enhanced through hand-coloring or semi-mechanical coloring techniques to create a more vivid and appealing appearance. This approach, common at the time, occupies a visual space between photography and illustration and represents an important phase in the history of printed imagery.

What truly distinguishes this postcard is the handwritten message on the reverse. The presence of personal correspondence transforms the card from a simple view of an industrial site into a private communication object. The sender writes from Kodak's facilities, mentions attending instructional or lecture-based activities, and outlines upcoming travel plans. This brief note suggests that Kodak Park functioned not only as a place of production, but also as a center associated with training and professional development.

English Translation of the Handwritten Message

Dear Emily,

This is Kodak's home office.
Lectures about the works are being given here.
Next week I am going to Boston for another class.
Then on to New York for an exam.

Regards to Mother and the family.
Best wishes,
Charles Cross

Regards also to Mr. K and Mrs. H.

The address indicates that the postcard was sent to Miss Emily Evelien in San Francisco. The postmark shows that it was mailed on July 11, 1921.

This personal message adds a quiet but meaningful layer to the postcard. References to education, travel, and family greetings offer small yet valuable insights into everyday life and professional mobility during the early twentieth century.

In conclusion, this postcard is a multi-layered collectible that combines industrial imagery with personal narrative. Through its front image and handwritten reverse, it brings together photographic history, corporate culture, and private correspondence, offering a modest but compelling glimpse into the visual and social world of its time.

Record Information

Title: Kodak Park Postcard – Rochester, New York View

Category: Corporate History / Visual Culture

Subcategory: Industrial Imagery / Personal Correspondence

Country: USA

City: Rochester, New York → San Francisco, California

Date of use: 11 July 1921

Company (Depicted): Eastman Kodak Company, Kodak Park, Rochester, NY. Main production and administrative complex; designed as a modern industrial campus symbolizing scale, discipline, and efficiency.

Sender: Charles Cross (attending lectures/training at Kodak Park).

Recipient: Miss Emily Evelien, San Francisco, California.

Object Type: Illustrated postcard (hand-colored / mechanically colored)

Postal Features: U.S. postage, Rochester postmark (11 July 1921), addressed to San Francisco.

Message Summary: Charles Cross describes attending lectures at Kodak, mentions upcoming travel to Boston and New York for classes/exams, sends regards to family.

Language: English

Material: Paper postcard

Dimensions: Standard postcard format

Collection Theme: Kodak Park, Eastman Kodak, industrial imagery, postcard coloring techniques, corporate identity, professional training, personal correspondence, 1920s American life.

Archival Significance: This 1921 postcard combines industrial imagery of Kodak Park with a personal message from Charles Cross. It illustrates the role of postcards in projecting corporate identity and the integration of professional training at Kodak. The handwritten note offers insight into early 20th-century mobility and education. This item is a primary source for understanding the intersection of corporate culture, visual representation, and everyday correspondence.

Research Note:

This article is based on historical research and independent analysis of the material in the author's collection. The text has been prepared as an original interpretative study and does not reproduce copyrighted material.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
For academic reference, please refer to How to Cite This Archive.