This 1907 vintage postcard offers a stunning aerial view of Denver, Colorado, highlighting two of the city’s iconic buildings: City Hall and the Mint. But the real story lies on the flip side, where a fountain-pen message written from Cisco, Utah, on August 22, 1907, reveals a violent incident. The sender briefly recounts how “Herr stopped over here till morning to offer medical assistance to a young man who was shot just as the train pulled out. 65 miles from a Dr. I leave in the morn for Ogden. Will write you later. HRC.” The nickname “Herr” likely refers to a German doctor named Hartwig.
While the message emphasizes the medical intervention offered to the victim, it also reveals a more unsettling truth: the incident took place in an environment where the rule of law was weak, and violence often reigned. The sender’s decision to stay and help may have been driven by necessity, but it speaks volumes about the precariousness of life in the region at the time.
Though short, the note paints a vivid picture of life along the railroads, a time and place marked by danger, lawlessness, and violence. Cisco, Utah, was a small railroad stop plagued by crime, gambling, and vice, where law enforcement was sparse and survival was uncertain. This transient town was a haven for outlaws, and incidents like the one mentioned on this postcard were a harsh reality.
With the decline of railroads and rise of automobiles, towns like Cisco faded into obscurity, leaving behind only memories and artifacts like this postcard. Today, Cisco is being reshaped into an artistic retreat, transforming its wild past into a new kind of legacy.
At Get Lucky Vintage, we treasure postcards like this because they’re more than collectible, they’re tangible connections to moments and places long gone. We have thousands of antique postcards for sale, each offering a unique glimpse into history and ready to share stories that time might otherwise forget. Explore our collection and find your own piece of the past to hold and cherish.
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