Our Flashback Friday postcard this week depicts a Fayetteville St. of more than 100 years ago. This view is very different from the typical postcard showing Raleigh’s Main Street, and for a particular reason. Savvy readers might be able to guess why.

No message this week, nor is there any accreditation to a local publisher.

Okay, did anyone guess as to why this week’s postcard is unique among the dozen cards showing Fayetteville St. we’ve published previously? Yes? No? Well, here’s the answer —

The viewpoint is from the head of Fayetteville St., looking south, away from the Capitol. Typically, throughout the 20th century, postcard views of Fayetteville St. featured the dramatic sight-line north toward the Capitol building as the focal point.

For an example, we published this 1960s postcard three years ago. The view is decidedly dramatic.

Quite coincidentally, Flashback Friday acquired the postcard seen below about the same time as we did this week’s featured card. The southward viewpoint is the same as in 1910, but shows a neon-bedecked Fayetteville St. as it appeared in 1951.

Concluding this week’s Flashback Friday post, we sign off with this photo of a busy Fayetteville St. taken from the Capitol dome in 1915 — looking south. How many landmarks can you identify?

State Archives of North Carolina photo

Our Flashback Friday postcard this week was printed by the Albertype Co. of Brooklyn, NY.

The Albertype Co.  1887-1952 
205 (260) Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY

Adolph and Herman Witteman had worked as printers and publishers since 1867. They first started printing postcards under the Albertype trademark in 1890. Their collotype cards were printed in the United States. They went on to became a major publisher of view-cards, ultimately producing about 25,000. Their postcards were not numbered; the Albertype name appears within the stamp box on their early cards. When the divided back postcard was federally authorized, the Albertype company created a line down the back of their cards with the words Post Cards of Quality, and later with The Finest American Made View Post Cards. Many publishers printed cards though the Albertype Co. They were purchased by Art Vue Post Card Company in 1952.

“Flashback Friday” is a weekly feature of Goodnight, Raleigh! in which we showcase vintage postcards depicting our historic capital city. We hope you enjoy this week end treat!