The soft trade winds of 1953 seem to carry the scent of salt spray and vintage suntan oil through this vibrant window into mid-century Honolulu. On the back, a traveler’s hurried script describes the marvelous panoramas of the island’s north side and makes a playful remark about the heat, while a special Aloha Week cancellation marks a specific moment in the territory's history. It is a piece of the old Pacific, back when the Royal Hawaiian stood as the undisputed queen of the beach and the world felt just a little bit wider.
Era: Chrome 1950s (1953)
City: Honolulu
State: Hawaii
Country: United States of America
Topics: Beaches, Aloha Week, Hotels
Artist/Photographer: Unknown
Condition: Circulated (postmarked 1953)
Orientation: Horizontal (Landscape)
Publisher: Honolulu Photo Supply Co., Mike Roberts (a pioneer in Kodachrome postcard printing)
The back of this card features a unique Aloha Week cancellation mark and two 2-cent John Adams stamps. The sender, writing to Summit, New Jersey, captures a specific moment in time by noting a prolonged drought that was affecting the local pineapple crops.
This card represents the transition of Hawaii from a distant territory to a premier global destination.
