Postcards from Aunty Cranky.: Nevada

Saturday, August 17, 2013

U.S.A. Reno, Nevada - 17.6.62

The abounding southwestern desert Cacti and flora are one of this areas most significant and beautiful attractions.

El Cortez Hotel, Reno. Nevada - 17.6.62

Dear Pen,

I've been on the bus 11 hours today and I'm tired! Don't start tomorrow until 10am and get to San Francisco at 3pm so I needn't get up till late tomorrow, Cheers !!

Love Nan

Cable Car

Elko, Nevada

One of the striking attractions in Elka is this 64 year old cable car. This car once was making regular runs from Clay to Market Street in San Francisco, and now may be seen picking up passengers at the airport or touring Elka with sightseers. This cable car is operated through the courtesy of the Commercial Hotel.

El Cortez Hotel, Reno. Nevada - 17.6.62

Dear Mer,

Next card will be from San Francisco, I go there tomorrow and stay there for a few days before I leave for Alaska.

Love Nan.

El Cortez Hotel, Reno. Nevada - 17.6.62

Dear Fish (Nick)

The trains run along the street here and make an awful noise. Tell your Mummy she hasn't written to me for a very long time.

Love Nan.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

U.S.A. - Nevada - 5.4.1962

To. Penelope Rodd

With love, Nan

Bucket of Blood Saloon. A museum displaying many of the furnishings of the Bonanza Days. Rare pickle casters and mustache cups are to be found here.

To. Timothy Rodd

With love, Nan

Pyramid Lake, Nevada

A panoramic view of Pyramid Lake, 30 miles northeast of Reno, in Western Nevada. Some of the chiefs shown in the superimposition are now residents of Nixon on the south east shore of the lake. The lake has 600 foot high pyramid which prompted John Charles Fremont early day pathfinder to give the body of water it's name.

To. Meredith Rodd.

With love, Nan

Virginia and Truckee Train. Carson City, Nevada.

The Virginia and Truckee Railway played an important part in Nevada's history. More gold was shipped in its cars than on any other narrow-gauge railroad in the country. It was discontinued in 1949.

To. Nicolas Rodd

With love, Nan

About these Postcards.

Meredith, Penelope and Timothy.

My Great Aunt Nancy enjoyed travelling the World during the years from 1957 to 1962. Nancy was my Grandmothers younger sister, she was a Nurse before she met John Watson who was a patient of hers, he thought she was a very cranky Nurse so from then on, into their marriage, he and those living at the 'Homestead' called her 'Cranky' so 'Cranky' she remained at 'Wollogorang', the Sheep Station they lived on.

My family called 'Cranky' by her given name of Nancy, Nan for short but I lived at 'Wollogorang' on and off during my late teens even working there for long periods so she became 'Aunty Cranky' to me.

Cranky and John had one daughter, Susan, my first cousin-once-removed who spent some time traveling with Cranky and some time, at what was called back then, 'Finishing' Schools.

I loved my Aunty Cranky very much, I could spend hours and hours just sitting and listening to her long stories of her travels, she also bought me most of my childhood books which along with these postcards introduced me to the Big Wide World which I have now seen much of myself, but never with her style.

These Postcards were sent to me, my brother Timothy, my sister Meredith and when he was born to my youngest brother Nicholas. When Mum and Dad moved to a smaller home, Mum was going to throw these Postcards out but I, being somewhat of a hoarder, couldn't bear to see that happen so I saved them.

My brothers and sisters can follow this Blog and remember along with me those wonderful postcards that arrived at regular intervals from places some of which we had never heard... Wonderful Memories!

There are 320 Postcards on this Blog, many are obviously missing and who knows how many never arrived, what a prolific Postcard sender our Great Aunt was.

Someone in our family decided that they were a Stamp Collector so almost none of the cards still have stamps on them which is a big pity... I wonder where those stamps are now! In some bin I suspect.

BTW Cranky was far from cranky to me, she was loving if a little strict on how I should behave, she had a desire to turn me into a 'Lady'... which she failed at I'm afraid although I remember a few do's and do nots.

Enjoy, along with me, this view of a world in the late 1950's

P.S. 2015.

I put all these postcards into a large folder, then when my sister Meredith lost everything and her home to savage bush fires in Perth I sent her the Postcards to keep.