Antique postcard with an excellent OLIVETTE, MISSOURI postal-history connection, postmarked:
OLIVETTE, MO.
JUN 16
1910
This cancellation comes from the original Olivette post office in St. Louis County, an unusually short-lived postal operation listed as existing only from 1908 until 1917. In 1917, postal service continued under the designation Olivette Branch, but the original independent Olivette office represented by this cancellation ceased to exist.
That makes the 1910 date particularly appealing: this card was mailed only about two years after the original Olivette post office opened and seven years before it was converted to branch status.
Even more interesting, the postmark predates the modern City of Olivette itself. The area began as a rural farming community along the old Bonhomme/Olive Road corridor. The present municipality was not incorporated until 1930, when several existing communities—including Central, Tower Hill, Olive and Stratmann—were combined.
The St. Louis County Library's local-history index documents the area's early postal history, including old general stores, taverns and post offices along Old Bonhomme and Olive Street Road.
So I would NOT call this a ghost-town card. Olivette very much survives. Instead, its selling point is:
SHORT-LIVED ORIGINAL POST OFFICE — 1908–1917
That's a better and more accurate postal-history hook.
The card was mailed to Laura Hartstack, 53 Ho... Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri. The handwritten message begins “Dear friend Laura” and appears to discuss having arrived safely and having a nice time.
The front is a humorous early 20th-century postcard depicting a young man reclining in a chair while two women attend to him, captioned:
“It's never too late to mend”
Franked with a green 1-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp.
Post Office: Olivette, Missouri
County: St. Louis County
Postmark: OLIVETTE, MO.
Date: June 16, 1910
Original Office: 1908–1917
Later Status: Olivette Branch beginning 1917
City Incorporation: 1930
Stamp: 1¢ Benjamin Franklin
Destination: St. Louis, Missouri
Postal History Interest: Short-lived original office / early Olivette cancel
Good antique condition with noticeable age and handling wear. Postcard has corner and edge wear, toning, surface wear and several creases, including a noticeable diagonal crease on the address side. Writing remains legible.
The OLIVETTE, MO. JUN 16 1910 circular date stamp is strong and readily identifiable. Green 1-cent Franklin stamp remains attached and is tied by the cancellation. Front image remains quite clear with typical surface wear and aging. Please examine photographs for exact condition.
Postmark: Olivette, Missouri
County: St. Louis County
State: Missouri
Date: June 16, 1910
Original Post Office Dates: 1908–1917
Postal Status: Original office discontinued/reclassified as branch in 1917
Era: Divided Back, 1907–1915
Postage Condition: Posted
Stamp: 1¢ Benjamin Franklin
Destination: St. Louis, Missouri
Theme: Postal History, Humor, Early Missouri
Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
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