My Postcard as an Historical Artifact

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On the Garnock, near Kilwinning, front

On the  Garnock, near Kilwinning gives viewers a glimpse of the landscape, the infrastructure and the lifestyle that flourished in Scotland during the 1940s (Moulton, Macleod, Cameron, Simpson & Brown, 2019).From its frame of 6x11cm, this postcard was most likely sold in the town of Kilwinning to promote the natural and rustic scenery surrounding River Garnock. The postcard targets an audience that appreciates the history of Scottish architecture and the establishment of Kilwinning.

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Kilwinning, Scotland in 1800s

More specifically, Scotland is known for its combination of historic and modern architecture. The country is surrounded by Cathedrals, abandoned landmarks and house estates (Moulton, Macleod, Cameron, Simpson & Brown, 2019). This postcard consists of a railway track that is no longer existent in Kilwinning because members of the Scottish government had ordered to abolish it (Arbuckle, 2017). This postcard provides historians and those interested in Scottish history, with images associated with the infrastructural changes and evolutions that occurred in the country.

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LMS Irvine Branch railway used to cross the River Garnock near Kilwinning

From broad eyes, this postcard is a smaller form of a historical artifact. But in reality, it prevails the life for Scottish youth in the 1940s. With its simplistic and subtle font size spelling On the Garnock, near Kilwinning it displays a time of enjoyment and self-learning for many Scottish children. River Garnock was used by many children who wanted to learn how to swim (Moulton, Macleod, Cameron, Simpson & Brown, 2019). In the postcard image, one can see several children sitting along the river, while others stand in the water. Further into the distance, blocks are placed in the river to act as a dam. This was a technique used to form a pool in which they could practice swimming in (Moulton, Macleod, Cameron, Simpson & Brown, 2019).

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Kilwinning Abbey

Moreover, On the Garnock, near Kilwinning is an extraordinary postcard. It is valuable for those who lived in this area and perhaps had similar experiences as a youth. Additionally, the postcard holds great significance for historians to view the infrastructural changes in Scotland. Ultimately, this postcard is more than a promotional image for such a beautiful country. Nonetheless, it correlates with the truth of A picture is worth a thousand words because it enlightens tourists, locals and historians about such a natural state of Scottish history.

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