Communications
Tools of communication have transformed American society time and again over the past two centuries. The Museum has preserved many instruments of these changes, from printing presses to personal digital assistants.
The collections include hundreds of artifacts from the printing trade and related fields, including papermaking equipment, wood and metal type collections, bookbinding tools, and typesetting machines. Benjamin Franklin is said to have used one of the printing presses in the collection in 1726.
More than 7,000 objects chart the evolution of electronic communications, including the original telegraph of Samuel Morse and Alexander Graham Bell's early telephones. Radios, televisions, tape recorders, and the tools of the computer age are part of the collections, along with wireless phones and a satellite tracking system.
2,908
Page 1 of 146
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Picture postcard, "Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, California - 1798"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. The card was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company manufactured printed postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The firm used the term "photochrom" and later "colortone" to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Luis Rey de Francia was the eighteenth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. Dedicated in 1798, this mission was established to convert American Indians of the Kumeyaay and Luiseno tribes to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a parish church, a museum, and a retreat site.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0312
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0312
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Picture postcard, "Mission San Juan Bautista, San Juan, California - 1797"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Juan Bautista, San Juan, Calif. was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. The card was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company manufactured printed postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The firm used the term "Photochrom" later "Colortone" to describe its color printing processes.
- Founded on June 24, 1797 by the Franciscan Order, the Mission San Juan Bautista was the fifteenth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions built in California between 1769 and 1823. It was established to convert American Indians of the Mutsun, or Costanoan, and Yokuts tribes to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a parish church.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0313
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0313
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission San Rafael, Arcangel. California - 1817"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Rafael, Arcangel was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. It was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company printed postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The company used the word "photochrom" and later "colortone" to describe its color printing processes.
- The mission was founded in 1817, the twentieth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. It was established as a medical facility to treat American Indians of the region and convert them to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a small museum and is adjacent to the St. Raphael Parish church and school.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0316
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0316
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission La Purísima Concepción, California - 1787"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission La Purísima Concepción was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. It was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company printed postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The firm used the word "Photochrom" and later "Colortone" to describe their color printing processes.
- Mission La Purísima Concepción is located northwest of Santa Barbara in Lompoc, California. It was the eleventh of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was founded to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism.
- Today the mission is manage by the California State Parks system and serves as one of two state park facilities formerly operated as missions. The other is the Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma, Calif.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0317
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0317
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Picture postcard, "Mission Santa Cruz, California - 1791"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission Santa Cruz was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. It was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. It used the term "Photochrom" and later "Colortone" to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission Santa Cruz, founded in 1791, is located near today's city of Santa Cruz. It was the twelfth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions built in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was built to convert American Indians of the Costanoan and Yokuts tribes to Catholicism.
- Today the mission buildings include a parish church, a chapel, and the original dormitory.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0318
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0318
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission San Jose de Guadalupe, San Jose, California - 1797"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Jose de Guadalupe was printed by the Curt Teich Company of Chicago using photomechanical processes. The card was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The company used the term "Photochrom" later "Colortone" to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Jose (formerly and incorrectly assigned the name "Guadalupe") is located near the city of Fremont. It was the fourteenth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was founded to convert American Indians of the Miwok, Patwin, Costanoan, and Yokuts tribes to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a parish church and a museum.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0319
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0319
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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Picture postcard, "Mission San Miguel, California - 1797"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Miguel was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. It was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The company used the term "Photochrom" and later "Colortone" to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Miguel Arcangel, located in San Miguel, was the sixteenth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was established to convert American Indians of the Salinan tribe to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a parish church.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0320
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0320
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission Santa Inés, California - 1804"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission Santa Inés was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. The card was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The company used the term "Photochrom" and later "Colortone" to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission Santa Inés (also Ynez) was dedicated in 1804, and is situated north of Santa Barbara. It was the nineteenth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions to be built in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was founded to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a parish church and a museum.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0321
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0321
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission San Franciso Solano de Sonoma, California - 1823"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Francisco Solano de Sonoma was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. The card was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. It used the term "Photochrom" and later "Colortone" to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Francisco Solano De Sonoma founded in 1823, was the last of twenty-one missions built by Spanish Franciscans in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was established to convert American Indians of the region to Catholicism.
- Today the mission is a historical site managed by the Sonoma State Historic Parks system.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0322
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0322
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission Santa Clara de Asis, California - 1777"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission Santa Clara de Asis was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. It was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company printed postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. It used the term "photochrom" and later "colortone" to describe its color printing processes.
- The postcard portrays an image of daily life at the Mission Santa Clara soon after its founding in 1777. The mission was the eighth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions built in California between 1769 and 1823. It was established to convert American Indians of the Bay Miwok, Tamyen, or Costanoan, and Yokuts tribes to Catholicism.
- A college and a church now occupy the original site, located at the southern end of the San Francisco Bay.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0323
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0323
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, California - 1722"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Luis Obispo De Tolosa was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. It was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The company used the term "photochrom," later "colortone," to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, located in San Luis Obispo County, was founded in 1772 by Fr. Junípero Serra. It was the fifth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was built to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a parish church.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0324
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0324
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission San Antonio de Padua, California - 1771"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Antonio de Padua was printed by the Curt Teich Company using photomechanical processes. The card was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The company used the term "photochrom," later "colortone," to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Antonio de Padua, founded in 1771, is located on the Salinas River south of King City in Monterey County. It was the third of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was built to convert American Indians of the Salinan tribe to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves a parish church.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0325
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0325
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission San Carlos - 1770, Monterey - California"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Carlos was printed by the Curt Teich Company of Chicago using photomechanical processes. It was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego.
- The Curt Teich Company manufactured printed postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The company used the term "photochrom," later "colortone," to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Carlos Borroméo del rio Carmelo is located near the town of Monterey, the original capital of Spanish and later Mexican, California. Mission San Carlos was the second of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions founded in California between 1769 and 1823. It was established to convert American Indians of the Esselen and Ohlone, or Costanoan, tribes to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a parish church.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0326
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0326
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission Santa Barbara, California - 1786"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission Santa Barbara was printed by the Curt Teich Company of Chicago using photomechanical processes. It was published in about 1914 by the I. L. Eno Company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The company used the term "photochrom," and later "colortone," to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission Santa Barbara was founded in 1786, the tenth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was built to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a parish church, a museum, a Franciscan friary, or monastery, and a retreat site.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0327
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0327
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "San Carlos Borroméo (El Carmel Mission) near Monterey, California - 1770."
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of San Carlos Borroméo (El Carmel Mission) was printed by the Curt Teich Company of Chicago using photomechanical processes. The card was published about 1914 by the I. L. Eno company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Chicago-based Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. It used the term "photochrom," later "colortone,' to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Carlos Borroméo del rio Carmelo is situated on the Monterey Peninsula in Carmel, Calif. It was the second of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions to be established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was built to convert American Indians of the Esselen and Ohlone, or Costanoan, tribes to Catholicism. It was moved from its original location in Monterey to its present site in 1771.
- Today the mission in Carmel Valley serves as a parish church.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0331
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0331
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission San Juan Capistrano - 1776. Midway Between San Diego and Los Angeles, California"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of San Juan Capistrano was printed by the Curt Teich Company of Chicago using photomechanical processes. It was published about 1914 by the I. L. Eno company in San Diego, Calif.
- The Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with several publishers. The firm used the term "photochrom," later "colortone," to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Juan Capistrano is located in the town of the same name. It was the seventh of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was founded for the conversion to Catholicism of American Indians of the Luisen, or Juaneno, tribe.
- Today the mission compound includes a parish chapel and a museum.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1914
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0332
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0332
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission, San Buenaventura, Cal, 1783"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Buenaventura was printed by the Curt Teich Company of Chicago using photomechanical processes. It was published about 1915 by the Eno & Matteson company in San Diego.
- The Curt Teich Company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with many publishers. The firm used the term "Photochrom," later "Colortone," to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission San Buenaventura is located in the city of Ventura. It was the ninth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions established in California between 1769 and 1823, and was built to convert American Indians of the Chumash tribe to Catholicism.
- Today the mission serves as a parish church and a museum.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1908
- graphic artist
- Eno, I. L.
- Eno, I. L.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0349
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.639.0349
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission Dolores, Founded 1776, California"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission Dolores was printed and published by the Curt Teich Company of Chicago using photomechanical processes in about 1913.
- The company manufactured postcards between 1898 and 1978 in association with many publishers. It used the term "Photochrom,' later "Colortone," to describe its color printing processes.
- Mission Dolores, originally known as Mission San Francisco de Asís, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco. Founded in 1776, the mission was the sixth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions to be founded in California between 1769 and 1823. It was established to support the conversion of American Indians of the Bay Miwok, Coast Miwok, and Patwin tribes to Catholicism.
- Today the mission site is run by the Sonoma State Historical Park system. Services are still held in the mission building and in the adjacent, more modern, Basilica.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1910
- ca 1913
- graphic artist
- Curt Teich & Co.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0375
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0375
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission San Fernando, California"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission San Fernando was printed using photomechanical processes by the B. N. Company in about 1915.
- The B. N. Company manufactured color postcards.The company trademark appeared on the back, and consisted of the letters BNCO in white on a black background.
- Mission San Fernando Rey de España, founded in 1797, is located in the San Fernando Valley. It was the seventeenth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions built in California between 1769 and 1823. Its purpose was to convert American Indians of the Tataviam and Tongva tribes to Catholicism.
- Today it serves as a parish chapel and a museum.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1915
- graphic artist
- B. N. Company
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0389
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0389
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
-
Picture postcard, "Mission Dolores, San Francisco, California"
- Description (Brief)
- This postcard view of Mission Dolores was published by the Cardinell-Vincent Company in San Francisco about 1910. The company's published views of California were printed lithographically in Germany.
- The Cardinell-Vincent Company was the official postcard publisher for the Panama Pacific International Exposition in 1915.
- Mission Dolores, also known as Mission San Francisco de Asís, is the oldest surviving structure in San Francisco, founded in 1776. It was the sixth of twenty-one Spanish Franciscan missions to be established in California between 1769 and 1823. The mission was founded to convert American Indians of the Bay Miwok, Coast Miwok, and Patwin tribes to Catholicism.
- Today the mission site is managed by the Sonoma State Historic Park system.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1915
- ca 1910
- graphic artist
- Cardinell-Vincent Co.
- ID Number
- 1986.0639.0406
- accession number
- 1986.0639
- catalog number
- 1986.0639.0406
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History
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