1910 Soldiers' Sailors' Memorial Hall Pittsburgh PA Postcard

About This Vintage Postcard

The monumental presence of Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall in Pittsburgh stands as a powerful centerpiece in this early 20th-century view. This color lithograph highlights the building’s imposing Beaux-Arts architecture, inspired by the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, with its massive colonnades and distinctive pyramidal roof reaching toward a soft, hazy sky. Set against the rolling hills of the Oakland district, the memorial is depicted with crisp American flags flanking the entrance, underscoring its solemn purpose as a tribute to the veterans of Allegheny County.

Details

Era: Divided Back (c. 1910)
City: Pittsburgh
State: Pennsylvania
Country: United States of America
Topics: Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall, Military Memorials, Landmarks
Artist/Photographer: Not Noted, Lithograph
Condition: Circulated Postmarked September 24, 1911
Orientation: Vertical (Portrait) Horizontal (Landscape)
Publisher: The Leighton & Valentine Co., New York

Additional Information

The vertical line and "Address Only" instructions confirm the card was made after March 1, 1907, when the U.S. Post Office first permitted messages on the address side. The publisher is identified as The Leighton & Valentine Co. of New York City, formed in 1910 through the merger of the Leighton Design Co. and the Valentine & Sons Publishing Co. Prior to WW1, such major American publishers frequently utilized high-end printing facilities to dominate the mid-Atlantic market; this card specifically notes it was printed in the United States, representing a shift in manufacturing during the later years of the "Golden Age" of postcards. The card features a clear "Pittsburg, PA" postmark from 1911 and a green 1-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp.