Rushing Waters Oyster Bay New York NY 1900s Waterfall Spillway Bridge Postcard

The Rushing Waters area of Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York lies within a maritime landscape long tied to commercial oystering and harbor trade that defined the region in the 19th century, and during the late 19th/early 20th century the village and its waterways supported local shipyards, shellfishing and coastal transport; nearby Sagamore Hill, the home of President Theodore Roosevelt, became nationally prominent after 1900, further cementing Oyster Bay's status as a historically significant Long Island locale.

Postcard Image

🖼️ Information on the Front of the Postcard

📝 In-Scene Text
Not visible

🏢 Publisher Information
Not visible

💬 Captions
RUSHING WATERS
OYSTER BAY
L.I.

📬 Information on the Back of the Postcard

📮 Address
Not visible

📅 Postmark & Stamp
No postmark is visible on the card.
A green stamp design is printed in the upper right corner.
The stamp's denomination is "ONE CENT".
The design features a portrait of Benjamin Franklin in an oval frame, flanked by cherubs. Text visible on the stamp includes "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA", "POSTAGE", "ONE CENT", and the dates "1706 FRANKLIN 1790". The series is indicated as "SERIES 1902".

🏛️ Publisher & Postal Note
The top of the card features "Private Mailing Card." in ornate script.
Below this, it states: "AUTHORIZED BY ACT OF CONGRESS OF MAY 1898".
Further below, it reads: "POSTAL CARD --- CARD POSTALE".
No specific publisher's name is visible.

📌 Context
This postcard is a "Private Mailing Card," a designation used for postcards issued by private companies between May 19, 1898, and July 1, 1901. Prior to the Act of 1898, only the U.S. government could issue "Postal Cards." The act allowed private publishers to print their own postcards, initially requiring them to be labeled "Private Mailing Card." The 1-cent postage rate for postcards, as indicated by the printed stamp, was standard for domestic mail at this time.

The stamp design, identified as "SERIES 1902," depicts Benjamin Franklin, a common figure for 1-cent U.S. postage stamps. This "Series 1902" refers to the Second Bureau Issue of U.S. definitive stamps, which began circulation in 1902. The presence of a "Private Mailing Card" designation (1898-1901 era) alongside a "SERIES 1902" stamp on the same card is interesting. It either suggests the card was produced very early in the "Post Card" era (which officially began in 1901, changing the designation from "Private Mailing Card" to "Post Card") and used the newest stamp design, or it's a reproduction that combines elements from slightly different periods, or a transitional piece. More commonly, "Private Mailing Card" would not feature a 1902 series stamp. However, as the stamp is *printed* on the card, it indicates the card itself was manufactured *after* 1902, suggesting either the "Private Mailing Card" designation lingered on some cards for a short period after the official change to "Post Card" in 1901, or it's a later reproduction in an older style. The card appears unused, with no address, message, or postmark, preserving its original blank state.

Note: Postcard information is read by AI and may contain errors. Please review images for accuracy.

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