Postcards from the PA Wilds: A New Spin on an Old-School Treasure

There’s something about a postcard that holds a little more magic than a text message or an email. Maybe it’s the fact that someone thought of you while standing in a gift shop or visitor center, spinning the racks. Or maybe it’s the small rectangle of art and story, stamped and scribbled, that becomes a little keepsake from a moment in time.

Growing up, I loved to sift through my mother’s postcard collection — a treasure trove of daydreams and mystery. I’d spend hours looking at the scenes: palm trees and lighthouses, skyscrapers, classic motels with mid-century pools. Decades later I still enjoy the postcards. One of my collection favorites is a Souvenir Folder of Roosevelt Highway – U.S. 6 (requiring 1 ½ c postage). This treasure unfolds accordian style to reveal 18 images, I recall this “card” being at my grandmother’s house. Can you imagine my surprise when years later I was sorting through the postcards to reminisce and realized that I now travel this very road on a regular basis - I did so today in fact! Perhaps it was those postcards woven in with the idea of adventure and place that made the Pennsylvania Wilds region feel like home when we moved here nearly thirty years ago.

Postcards are more than a quick hello. They’re time capsules. My other favorites in the collection are the holiday postcards sent to my grandfather when he was a young child in the early 1900s — delicate, embossed, and beautifully illustrated. They’re proof that even over a century ago, people found joy in sending a little beauty through the mail.

Above: A few of my treasured postcards sent to my grandfather John Mower when he was a young boy

That spirit — the blend of art, story, and sense of place — inspired me to create a new series of letterpress-printed postcards as part of the PA Wilds Collaborative project. These cards feature my pen and ink illustrations and celebrate the recreation, landmarks, and legendary lore of the region.

Each postcard is hand-drawn, a printing plate is created from the image, and then cards are printed using traditional letterpress techniques by Laughing Owl Press in Kane, PA. The result is tactile and timeless — you can feel the ridges pressed into the paper, just like the postcards from generations past.

The series includes scenes of:

• Kayaking and mountain biking in the Wilds —a nod to the region’s trails and waters that invite us to explore

• The Kinzua Skywalk, a breathtaking engineering marvel set high above a gorge that once served as a mighty railroad viaduct

• Cryptid fun with Bigfoot, the Squonk, the Giwoggle, and Thunderbird — legendary creatures said to roam the PA Wilds (and maybe still do…)

Six original ink drawings, one of each design is included in Greeting Card and Postcard Sets

These aren’t mass-produced tourist souvenirs — they’re small works of art meant to be held, sent, saved, and smiled over. Whether you're a seasoned postcard collector or just someone who wants to share a piece of the Pennsylvania Wilds with a friend, they carry the same charm I fell in love with as a kid flipping through my mother’s stash.

I hope you’ll find your favorite in the series and send it off — or better yet, keep it tucked into a notebook, pinned to a corkboard, or displayed on your fridge as a little reminder of time well spent.

Because the PA Wilds isn’t just a place you visit. It’s a place you feel. And sometimes, that feeling fits perfectly on a 4x6 card.