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RPPC Nome Alaska Fire March 1911 Firefighters Winter Real Photo Postcard
A striking original real photo postcard showing men fighting a building fire in Nome, Alaska, dated March 11, 1911. Firefighters and townspeople work in deep snow with ladders and hose lines as heavy smoke pours from the frame structure — a vivid documentary view of a subarctic winter fire.
- Real photo postcard (RPPC) of an actual fire scene in Nome, Alaska
- In-negative caption and photographer credit; handwritten date March 11, 1911
- Firefighters on the snow-covered roof with hose, ladders, and a large crowd
- Pencil note 'Nome, Alaska March 11, 1911' and a pen message on the reverse describing the bitter cold
- Divided-back era; unposted, written but not mailed
- Documentary Alaska disaster subject with identifiable place and date
The Nome Daily Nugget, digitized on Chronicling America (LCCN sn87062011) by the Alaska State Library, published daily 1911 issues and almost certainly covered this telephone-office fire — a buyer confirming newspaper coverage of this precise March 11, 1911 event would hold one of the most documentable Nome Territory disaster photographs known. Attributed to photographer A. Galvin, this card captures a defining moment of infrastructure vulnerability in Alaska's remote Gold Rush capital at -39°F.
Condition
Real photo postcard with in-negative caption and photographer credit; handwritten pencil location/date and pen message on reverse. Some surface scratches and light soiling, minor edge wear; image clear and strong.
Shipping & Packaging
How an order ships depends on its value.
- Under $20 — semi-rigid protective sleeve, sent by tracked Standard Envelope.
- $20 to $100 — rigid stay-flat mailer, sent by USPS Ground Advantage. Tracked, with $100 of carrier insurance included. Postage is calculated at checkout for your address.
- Over $100 — rigid mailer, sent by UPS Ground and insured for the full purchase price. Postage is calculated at checkout. Orders over $250 require a signature on delivery.
Buying more than one? They travel together in a single package, at whichever tier the order total reaches.
About Scanthology
Scanthology specializes in carefully digitized vintage paper. Every card is scanned at high resolution, stored flat, and shipped protected. Questions welcome -- thanks for looking!
