Baha'i History in Postcards
There are wonderful photographs from that time, many of them available online, accessible in new ways that the internet has made possible. But, for details, the photographs are not really very good. Postcards, however, are colorful, can show great details of a time and place, and can give a wider perspective.
My goal is to expand my small collection of historical postcards and share scenes that compliment Baha'i history, in the United States and around the world. Who knows where we will go on the journey, but the possibilities are endless.
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Showing posts tagged Baha'i Faith
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This is a postcard that shows a “Temple that never was.” It’s from before the Baha’i House of Worship was constructed, showing a golden dome and incorrect proportions. It also shows the lanterns, which were never installed. This “view” is looking south from Sheridan Road across the North Shore Channel, and cars can park there, but not for visiting the Temple. This is a lovely colorized postcard which can be found for one or two dollars at a post card show.
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The Plaza Hotel, near Lincoln Park in Chicago, no longer exists. But it is remembered because that’s where ‘Abdu’l-Baha stayed during his first visit to Chicago in May 1912. Many of the Chicago Baha’is would look for excuses to “hang out” during the day, crowing the salon. So, he gathered them up and would walk them across to Lincoln Park to sit on the benches there and talk. And one day they all went to Lincoln Park Zoo together.
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State Street at Noon in Chicago, an undated postcard that shows a busy noon hour around 1910-1915. The scene looks north to the State Street elevated stop where the Chicago Theater is now. Marshall Fields in on the right, look for the clock, and just the bare outlines of the Masonic Temple.
The Masonic Temple has dedicated meeting rooms for Masons at the top, but many floors of stores and offices. This is where the first Baha’i classes were taught, early Baha’is like Edward Getsinger has his office there, and in Drill Hall “Abdu’l-Baha gave a talk on April 30, 1912, to the Baha’i Temple Unity Convention
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This is the book I wrote last year with Arcadia Publishing, featuring 199 archival photographs of the Baha’i Temple in Wilmette, Illinois. In 2012 we will celebrate the Centenary of the visit of Abdu’l-Baha to the West. He laid the cornerstone of this building on May 1, 1912, and the whole story, with photos taken on that day, is told in the book. You can read the first chapters at Amazon.
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A postcard mailed on October 30, 1913, shows the Market Square in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the only city in Wisconsin visited by ‘Abdu’l-Baha in 1912 traveling by train from Chicago on Sept. 15 and returning Sept. 16.
Kenosha was one of the earliest Baha’i Communities in the U.S., having been established in the 1890’s.
Sunday, September 15, 1912 From Mahmud’s Diary
[Chicago — Kenosha]The friends were waiting with their automobiles at the railway station to take the Beloved to the hall of the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár.278 The Master went onto the stage of the auditorium and sat on a chair. It was a divine and joyous festival, the people like heavenly angels of the utmost spirituality, prayerfulness and gratitude. `Abdu’l-Bahá spoke briefly but effectively about the victorious power and penetrating influence of the Cause of the Blessed Beauty. He then went to a long table that extended the length of the hall which was covered with a variety of multicolored flowers.As lunch was being served, the young friends, having received `Abdu’l-Bahá’s permission, sang songs of praise to Him, accompanied by a piano. The Master then gave an account of the persecutions and hardships of Bahá’u’lláh, the time spent in the Most Great Prison, the Turkish revolution and the changes that took place after the establishment of a constitutional form of government in Turkey. `God removed all obstacles’, He said, `and provided all the necessities, thus enabling `Abdu’l-Bahá to reach this place and have the pleasure of seeing you.’The friends then brought their children to Him to be blessed. He took the children onto His lap one by one and gave them flowers, fruits and sweets. Mr Jackson said:Every time we have held a public entertainment for the friends we have left two seats vacant at each end of the table, one in the name of Bahá’u’lláh and the other in that of `Abdu’l-Bahá. We constantly longed to witness a day such as this. We have now attained our highest hopes and our eyes have seen the light of the Master.Another person said, `When the clergymen were informed of your arrival, they announced in the churches that this evening the prophet of the East will speak at the Kenosha Congregational Church.’After lunch `Abdu’l-Bahá left the hall of the `Mashriqu’l-Adhkár’ and went to Mrs [Henry] Goodale’s home, where the friends were overjoyed and uplifted to hear Him speak. He said to them, in part:The Cause of God has always appeared from the East but it has been more effective in the West. Once Badrí Páshá279 said in an address, `Gentlemen, Westerners have taken everything from us: the sciences, the arts and the laws they took from the East. Now we fear that they may wrest from us the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh, as well.’ Those were his words. But Bahá’u’lláh is neither of the East nor of the West, neither of the South nor of the North. He is holy above all these directions. He is heavenly and godly.`Abdu’l-Bahá’s address in the evening at the Congregational Church was on the unity of the Manifestations of God, that they are one in essence and that the differences among their followers is due to obsolete imitations. His explanation of the divine teachings gave new life and insights to the audience. After His talk, everyone came to Him to pay Him their respects. -
The High Bridge in Lincoln Park in Chicago, where in 1912 visitors could gaze over the city and its tall buildings to the south. When Abdu’l-Baha stayed at the Plaza Hotel, he often took walks in Lincoln Park with visitors, mostly to give the overworked staff the opportunity to take a break from the crush of visitors.
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One can’t mention Baha’i History in Postcards, without sharing an image of one of the Tablets of the Divine Plan, sent by Abdu’l-Baha to the Baha’is in America on postcards the first few days after WWI when mails could be sent after years of isolation. Two postcards were sent, one in English and the other in Persian. I’m hopeful that in 2016 when we will celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Tablets of the Divine Plan that more photographs of these postcards will be made available.
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The very first Baha’i House of Worship in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, from a photo set that’s been making the rounds on Facebook. It looks like a postcard. It looks like a colorized postcard. Does anyone know if the dome of this building really was green and the pillars blue? All I have ever seen are black and white photographs. This building was destroyed in an earthquake.
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Baha’i Temple, Australia
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Bookman’s Alley in Evanston. I found it way too late and now it’s closing this Spring. It’s in an...
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