Architect Yakovlev’s Mysterious Request, the 1913 Fire and a Forgotten Enamel Basin: Nizhny Novgorod’s History in Old Postcards
About this publication
The article explores the history of Nizhny Novgorod through old postcards, including vanished landmarks, the Nizhny Novgorod Fair, everyday life and events of the early twentieth century. Timur Khusyainov’s commentary and materials from the “I’m Writing to You” digital postcard corpus demonstrate how postcards can serve as historical sources and connect the publication directly with the “Pochtovoe” project.
Old views of the city, vanished landmarks and scenes of a life long gone — all of this has been carefully preserved by old postcards.
Komsomolskaya Pravda — Nizhny Novgorod published Kristina Berbasova’s article on how old postcards preserve the city’s history. Timur Khusyainov, head of the “Pochtovoe” project and a curator of the “I’m Writing to You” project, explained the value of these sources.
The article examines views of Minin and Pozharsky Square, lost churches and the Triumphal Arch, the Nizhny Novgorod Fair, Romodanovsky Station and other city sites. Messages written on postcards add evidence about travel, everyday life, prices, weather, fair life and the 1913 fire; a separate section discusses postcards addressed to architect Alexander Yakovlev.
The publication demonstrates the value of postcards as historical evidence and directly presents research associated with the “Pochtovoe” and “I’m Writing to You” projects.