Vintage postcard featuring guest room interiors at the YMCA Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, illustrated through four detailed views of modest yet comfortable accommodations. The card highlights a range of room styles—from simple single rooms to more furnished spaces—reflecting the practical, affordable lodging offered in one of Chicago’s most prominent early 20th-century institutions.
The YMCA Hotel at 826 South Wabash Avenue was part of a nationwide network providing safe, affordable lodging for travelers, workers, and families—especially during the early to mid-20th century. These facilities played an important role in urban life, offering not just rooms but community services, dining, and social spaces.
This postcard emphasizes the hotel’s scale and modernity, boasting 2,000 fireproof rooms and amenities like lounges, shops, and a health club. The pricing noted ($0.75–$2.50 per day) provides a fascinating snapshot of Depression-era and early mid-century travel economics.
Publisher/Printer: Curt Teich & Co., Chicago
Series Number: 7A-H189
Printing Method: Linen postcard, “C.T. Art-Colortone” process
Era: Linen Era, circa 1930s–1940s
Finish: Textured linen stock with vibrant, stylized coloring
Curt Teich postcards are highly regarded for their quality and are among the most collectible American linen-era issues.
Back Type: Divided back
Stamp Box: “Place One Cent Stamp Here”
Postmark: None
Writing: None (unused)
Printed in: United States
Unique multi-view interior layout, showing different room types
Excellent example of YMCA lodging history, a niche but growing collector interest
Strong appeal for collectors of:
Chicago ephemera
Hotels and institutional housing
Social history and travel culture
Curt Teich linen postcards
Captures authentic period furnishings and interior design
Good to very good vintage condition
Light edge and corner wear
Minor toning and age-related discoloration on back
Small marks and slight surface wear visible
No writing or postal use
Overall clean and displayable with bright color