FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Washington County Historical Society will be hosting a vintage Christmas card display on Dec. 19 at the Headquarters House Museum in Fayetteville.
Vintage Christmas cards and other related materials dating back to the 19th century will be displayed at the event.
Bob Underdown, a local Civil War re-enactor has a collection of approximately 500 vintage cards and other items. Underdown will be presenting his display which will be spread across several tables.
“I've been collecting for almost 20 years,” Underdown said. “I think I have around 500 items, from the Civil War until modern times. The oldest items are Christmas-related letters from Union soldiers during the Civil War and some Christmas lithographs from Harper's Weekly."
Among Underdown's collection, there are postcards from World War I where greeting cards were rare according to officials.
“I have a 1914 Princess Mary box given out to all British and Commonwealth soldiers, sailors, and nurses,” he said. “I also have a large collection of beautifully colored World War I postcards sent home from British, American, and German soldiers.“
Officials say greeting cards were more popular during World War II. Underdown’s cards from that era include some from three U.S .aircraft carriers: USS Lexington, USS Saratoga, and USS Ranger.
Underdown also has greeting cards and souvenir Christmas dinner menus sent home by sailors on the battleships USS Pennsylvania and USS Arizona and several homemade cards sent home by soldiers.
“I guess the most unique things I have are a Pearl Harbor Christmas menu from 1941, a Christmas postcard of Adolf Hitler, a modern Christmas postcard from a U.S. Air Force drone squadron, and a Christmas propaganda leaflet dropped on U.S. troops by the North Koreans,” Underdown said.
The display will be from 2-4 p.m. at Headquarters House Museum located at 118 E. Dickson St. in Fayetteville.