This page contains a series of historic postcards for West Rock, dating from the early 1900s to the 1950s. If available, a picture of the same location is shown in a modern picture.
In the caption under the postcard, I include the information listed on the postcard (when available) that may include the company that printed it, the date it was printed (or the photo was taken), and a description of the photo. I also include a postmark date if the postcard was sent. The postmark date may not be close to the date the photo was taken, since the same photo could have been used for a long period of time, or someone may have kept the postcard for a long period of time.
These two websites provided useful information for dating these post cards. The postcards with an undivided back were probably printed between Dec. 24, 1901, and Feb. 28, 1907. Postcards with a divided back were permitted starting March 1, 1907, with one half of the card for a message and one half for the address. Postcards that state they were printed in Germany were probably made between 1907 and 1914, and these postcards had no border. Postcards with a white border were most likely made between 1915 and 1930.
Website: https://www.fortlewis.edu/finding_aids/images/M194/PostcardDating.htm
This website gives post card mailing rates, which only partially narrows down the time period, since the postcard rate for many years was 1 cent for a postcard (1901-Nov. 1, 1917, July 1, 1919-April 24, 1925, July 1, 1928 to Dec. 31, 1951).
Website: http://www.metropostcard.com/guidepostage.html
About half these postcards were blank and unused. I did not bother including any message written on the back because they were typically personal messages along the lines of "I'll see you when I get back home."
If you are looking to purchase your own postcards of West Rock, I recommend using eBay. The prices are lower than on websites dedicated to selling postcards. Most of these cards here cost $6 or less with shipping. There are other post cards that sold for $10 to $15 with shipping, but I am not THAT interested in these historic views. Search for "West Rock Park, New Haven" and "Judges Cave."
West Rock viewed from Westville (Amrhyn Field)
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| Photo, only, copyright 1905 by the Rotograph Co., N.Y. City. Card G 3170, West Rock, New Haven, Conn. Postmarked Aug. 31, 1910. This postcard has an undivided back, a feature of postcards from 1901 to 1907. |
The back of the postcard has this information: No. 1151 Paul C. Koeber and Co., Beaver St., New York, and
Kirchbaum (Germany. This postcard has an undivided back, a feature of postcards from 1901 to 1907.
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This black and white postcard with an undivided back was pubilshed by Koeber & Co., Beaver St., New York, and Kirchheim (Germany). The card has a postmark of Sept. 22, 1905.
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Souvenir Post Card Co., New
York and Berlin
The undivided back on this postcard places it between 1901 and 1907. The same postcard for sale online had a postmark of July 6, 1907. I have a second copy of this postcard with a postmark of Nov. 29, 1906.
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West Rock, New Haven, Conn. #4014. Back information: American Post Cards. Published by the Ullman Manufacturing Co.,
New York. The divided back and the American printing places this postcard most likely after 1914.
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Printed by the Harold Hahn Co. New Haven, Conn. Labeled as a Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art-Colortone” Post Card. Postmarked Aug. 20, 1917.
Back caption: "West Rock, a trap rock cliff 400 feet high, flanks the city of New Haven on the northwest. The summit, accessible by a beautiful drive, affords an extensive view of the city, its many world-famous industries, and Long Island Sound. The famous Baldwin Parkway extends along West Rock Ridge for six miles."
[Alternately known as Baldwin Parkway and Baldwin Drive, the road is actually only 5.6 miles long.]
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| Pub. by the Harold Hahn Co.
New Haven, Conn.
Back caption: "West Rock rises to an
elevation of 410 feet. It was acquired for a park in 1891. In West Rock is
located the Historical Judges’ Cave. This is reputed to have been the refuge of
the regicide Judges who condemned Charles the First to death. A handsome bronze
tablet recently erected by the Conn. Society of Colonial Wars now marks the
locality." This postcard has a postmark of Nov. 22, 1939. This postcard is clearly the same image as the postcard above it, but with a different coloring scheme to the trees in front of the cliff.
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There are women sitting in the field in the foreground.
The back simply reads, "Famous Superior Quality Throughout the World". The divided back possibly places this between 1907 and 1914. |
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The view of West Rock in fall 2014. As compared to the postcards, the trees are much taller and there is a building and fencing related to the field.
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| The rear of this postcard with a divided back simply reads, "Made in Germany", an indication it was printed between 1907 and 1914. |
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No. 606, Pub. By Danziger and Berman, New Haven, Conn.
The note on the back is dated Feb. 15, 1912.
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| This postcard is titled "West Rock, New Haven, Conn. View from “Edgewood”. Pub. by E.P.J. Co. No. 1410, Made in Germany. The postmark is Aug. 11, 1914. Edgewood was the estate of writer and landscape gardener Donald Grant Mitchell (1822-1908). Mitchell helped design the layout of East Rock Park, along with the Olmsted Brothers. He donated a portion of his property to New Haven, which was incorporated with other city-owned land to form Edgewood Park. |
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| The southern face of West Rock looms behind Yale Bowl in this undated postcard. The divided back has the wording "Yale Bowl, New Haven, Conn. West Rock Park in background. The card has the number 30859. Clifford Scofield Color Productions, Cheshire, Conn. is the publisher. Without any clues, one can only guess the date of this picture. It could be anywhere from the 1930s to the early 1960s. Since the address does not have a zip code, this most likely predates the introduction of zip codes in 1963. |
West Rock viewed from the West River |
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A view of West Rock from the West River.
Published by The Hugh C. Leighton Co., Manufacturers, Portland, ME U.S.A.
Made in Germany. Based on the fact that this card has a divided back and was made in Germany, this card was probably printed between 1907 and 1917. One copy I have is postmarked Nov. 18, 1908. |
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Publ. by the E.P.J. Co. No 1139, Made Germany
This postcard is postmarked Feb. 3, 1910. |
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Publ. by the Edw. P. Judd Co., New Haven, Conn. No. 908. Made in Germany.
Postmarked June 20, 1913. |
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View in West Rock New Haven, Conn. G 3171. Photo, Only, Copyright 1905 by the Rotograph
Co. On the back is printed this information: The Rotograph Co., N.Y. City, (Germany)
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| This
view is across the West River toward the cliff at West Rock. This
undated postcard has a divided back and was published by the Union News
Company, New York. |
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| Published by The Rotograph Co., N.Y. City (Germany) G 3167a, The Falls, West Rock Park, New Haven, Conn. This photo appears to be a close up or different perspective of the falls as seen in the above postcard. This has a nearly identical stock number to a photo of the stream below, which has a photo copyright of 1905. This postcard has an undivided back, a feature of postcards from 1901 to 1907. |
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G3168, Scene in West Rock Park, New Haven, Conn. Copyright 1905, by The Rotograph Co., N.Y. City. As with similar postcard scenes, I am not sure exactly where along the West River this picture was taken. Most likely this is along the West River north of the footbridge.
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| This postcard has a postmark of Jan. 26, 1914. These falls on the West River no longer exist. This view is from the Valley Street area near Amrhyn Field. |
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This postcard is titled
"Margaret Fisher Memorial
Fireplace, West Rock Park, New Haven"
and was published by Tichnor Quality Views, Reg.
U.S. Patent Office, Made only by Tichnor Bros. Inc., Boston, Mass.
The
back of the postcard, which has a postmark of Aug. 11, 1944, describes the
park, not the fireplace. The caption reads, “West Rock, rising to an elevation
of 410 feet, was acquired as a park in 1891. Its summit is reached by beautiful
winding roads and gracious curves. At the top is Judges Cave where the three
Judges Whalley, Dixwell and Goffe took refuge after condemning Charles the
First to death.” [Correction to the postcard: Dixwell never hid out at the
cave.]
See the page on this website entitled "Margaret Fisher Memorial Fireplace" for the complete story behind this structure.
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| This view from Valley Street with the faint caption "Valley Street, Westville, Conn." is similar to the modern view as seen in the photo above. Unfortunately, the postmark of Nov. 9, 1909 shows through the card and is visible as the black semi-circle above the cliffs. In addition to a personal message in German, the card simply states, "Made in Germany." |
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| The West River is screened by the trees in this view from Valley Street, Aug. 2017. The left side of the ridge mirrors the view from the postcard, but the center part appears to be eroded, as compared to the postcard. |
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West Rock Park
This postcard has the caption "Bridge and Brook, West Rock Park, New Haven, Conn. The back of the postcard has this information, "Publ. by the E.P.J. Co., No. 1144, Made in Germany." Based on the fact that this card has a divided back and was made in Germany, this card was probably printed between 1907 and 1917. This picture most likely was taken from the location of the footbridge over the West River near Valley Street and Blake Street. The stone structure has collapsed.
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| This is a view of the former culvert near the West River footbridge at a time of low water flows, as seen in January 2020. The scattered stones are probably from the stone arch seen in the old postcard. |
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| This view from the West River footbridge shows what appears to be the location of the former culvert with handrail as seen in the old postcard. The river channel to the right only has water during times of heavy river flow. |
West Rock Park scene, New Haven, Conn. G3169, Copyright 1905 by the Rotograph Co. The undivided back of this postcard has this information: The Rotograph Co., N.Y. City, (Germany). 1 cent domestic postage. The postmark is dated Nov. 2, 1905. This view appears to be upstream of the dam looking toward the footbridge.
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| This is the original footbridge over the West River that was destroyed in the Hurricane of 1938. |
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| This view of the footbridge from the ballfield (on the left) to the parking lot (on the right) in January 2020 faces toward Stone Street. |
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| G 3170a, Bridge and Brook at North West Entrance, West Rock Park, New Haven, Conn. Rotograph Co., N.Y. City. Based on the fact that this card has an undivided back and was made in Germany, this card was probably printed between 1901 and 1907, most likely 1905 as this is postcard G 3170a and the postcard above with a copyright date of 1905 is postcard G 3168. My guess is this is the original footbridge over the West River by the playground near Blake Street. |
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| This is a May 2020 view of the modern bridge over the narrower part of the West River near the playground close to Blake Street. |
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These stone steps from West Rock Park are on the Red Trail near the sharp turn to head steeply uphill to the South Overlook. There is no information on the back of the postcard to indicate when this photo was taken. It has the features of a linen-era postcard (1930-1945) with its bright colors and linen appearance. The lines of the linen card are not visible in a scan. It has a postmark of Aug. 18, 1940. Published by the A.L. Schneider Co., New Haven, Conn.
A postcard I saw online from the New Haven Novelty Co. has the same photo, but with this caption on the back: "West Rock, rising to an elevation of 410 feet was aquired for a park in 1891. Its summit is reached by beautiful winding roads and graceful curves. At the top is Judges Cave where three judges, Whalley, Dixwell and Goffe took refuge after condemning Charles the First to death." Correction: Dixwell never went to the cave. This postcard has a postmark of March 17, 1944. |
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| The steps are sadly and utterly collapsed in this picture from Oct. 2009. |
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| This close-up view of the steps in Jan. 2016 shows that little has changed in the steps since the Oct. 2009 photo. |
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Wintergreen Falls at West Rock Park,
(now the West Rock Nature Center)
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This undated postcard had no postmark to indicate the year in which it was sold. On the back it states, "Published by Howard B.
Welch, New Haven, Conn. Printed in Saxony". Based on the fact that this card has a divided back and was made in Germany, this card was probably printed between 1907 and 1917.
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| Wintergreen Falls flows moderately, Dec. 6, 2019. |
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Published by the A.L. Schneider Company, New Haven, Conn. It has the features of a linen-era postcard (1930-1945) with its bright colors and linen appearance. The lines of the linen card are not visible in a scan.
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| This is a side view of Wintergreen Falls, as seen in March 2015. |
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| This is a side view of Wintergreen Falls, as seen in November 2018. Due to the steep terrain and slippery dirt and leaves, it is difficult to safely reach the base of the falls for a photo looking directly at the falls. |
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| This is a side view of Wintergreen Falls, as seen in November 2017. |
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| The New Drive, West Rock Park, New Haven, Conn. Pub. By W.L. Midas, New Haven, Conn. This postcard is postmarked Aug. 4, 1921. This is a view of Regicide Drive, the road that goes from the main entrance on Wintergreen Avenue to Judges Cave and the South Overlook. The original "guardrails" had the appearance of a tombstone and were later replaced by a conventional guardrail. |
Baldwin Drive (aka Baldwin Parkway)
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Published By the Harold Hahn Co.
Inc., New Haven, Conn.
This view shows two water company reservoirs, as viewed from the overlook off Baldwin Drive where the Purple Trail intersects the Regicides Trail. Glen
Lake (top) is located on the west side of Route 69 to the north of
Dillon Road, while the foreground shows Lake Dawson on the east side of
Route 69. The caption is slightly incorrect since the view is from Hamden, not New Haven. The postmark is Sept. 8, 1943. |
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| In this view from the paved overlook on the west side of Baldwin Drive in early May 2016, Glen Lake is visible as a narrow slit, while Lake Dawson is heavily screened by the trees. | |
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By the end of May 2016, both Glen Lake and Lake Dawson are completed screened by trees, despite the fact that state workers cut the black birch trees adjacent to the overlook off Baldwin Drive in 2015.
South Overlook
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postcard has a postmark of Aug. 20, 1907 and on the back it says
"Printed in Germany." This view is either from the South Overlook when
the trees were much younger and smaller, or from the shoulder of the
ridge on the Red Trail. This postcard has an undivided back, a feature of postcards from 1901 to 1907. |
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| Sleeping Giant slumbers in this view from the steep climb along the Red Trail en route to the South Overlook where a shoulder of the ridge provides a good resting spot, May 2017. |
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| A close up view of Sleeping Giant from the South Overlook, May 2017. |
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| Trees frame the Sleeping Giant in this view from the South Overlook, June 2017. |
From West Rock, Looking North, New Haven, Conn. 4521. Souvenir Postcard Co., New York. There is no information on the back of this postcard, which has an undivided back, possibly placing it between December 1901 and February 1907. My best guess is this photo is taken from the Red Trail, halfway up the climb to the South Overlook where a shelf overlooks Pine Rock and the Sleeping Giant. Pine Rock is a trap rock ridge, which has been heavily quarried. From this perspective, the left half is the Hamden transfer station and former town dump, and a portion of the right side has homes.
Judges Cave
These
postcards of Judges Cave are all taken from the right when standing in
front of the current plaque on the cave. The current view is partially
obscured by a cedar tree. The cave had a fence around it that was installed in 1903. When I learn the date when the fence was later removed, I
will include that information. The fence was there at least until the 1970s.
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The undivided back on this postcard and the words on the back "Printed in Germany." places it between 1901 and 1907. Note
that this postcard view of Judges Cave predates the iron fence. The fence was installed in 1903 at a cost of $500, paid by local businessman Frederick D. Grave. |
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postcard of Judges Cave is published by Arthur Livingston Publisher,
New York. There is no caption on the back of this undivided postcard.
The postmark is July 26, 1904. On the right-side rock is a brass historical plaque, which was later stolen. This picture was taken prior to the installation of the iron fence. |
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This postcard includes the printer name "SL and Co." on the divided back, which places it between 1907 and 1914. The cave shows a plaque on the right side of the cave. The plaque was stolen at some date unknown to me. The bolt holes are still visible in the rock.
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The undivided back on this postcard and the words on the back "Printed in Germany." places it between 1901 and 1907. Note that this postcard view of Judges Cave predates the iron fence. The fence was installed in 1903 at a cost of $500, paid by local businessman Frederick D. Grave. |
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| The back of this postcard with an undivided back has no caption, but it has this information: H.C. Leighton Co., Portland, Me. Manufacturers of Postal Cards. Made in Germany. No. 1107. 1 cent domestic postage. |
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Printed by A.D.
Cozzolino, New Haven. Postmarked Nov. 1, 1953. Rear caption: "The Judges’ Cave: After
signing the death warrant of Charles I of England, the regicides, Whalley and
Goffe, took refuge here."
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| A view of Judges Cave in March 2015 with the view partially obscured by trees. |
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Pub. By the A.L. Schneider Co., New Haven, Conn. 19098
A “Colourpicture” Publication, Boston 15, Mass, U.S.A. |
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Published by The Union News Co.
Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art-Colortone” Post Card.
It has the features of a linen-era postcard (1930-1945) with its bright colors and linen appearance. The lines of the linen card are not visible in a scan.
Rear caption: "Judges Cave, West Rock Park: Judges Cave on the summit of
West Rock, accessible by the park drive, is a jumble of rocks split
through glacial action, where Col. Edward Whalley and Col. William
Goffe, two of the judges who had condemned Charles I, found refuge in
1661 from the King’s soldiers."
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Pub. By the Harold Hahn Co. Inc., New Haven, Conn. This card possibly dates from the "white border" era of 1915-1930.
Rear caption: "According
to local history the mass of rocks on West Rock was the hiding place of
Dixwell, Goffe and Whalley, three judges who condemned Charles the
First to death and fled to escape the wrath of his son Charles II. They
sought refuge in what is now known as Judges’ Cave. After several narrow
escapes from the King’s soldiers, they became leaders of the
community."
Correction to the caption: Dixwell never stayed at the
cave. All three stayed as hidden as they could for the rest of their
lives, hardly becoming leaders of the community.
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Published by Morris Berman,
New Haven, Conn. Made in U.S.A.
This card probably dates from the "white border" era of 1915-1930. |
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| This postcard with a divided back has no information on the back. The front simply states Judges Cave, West Rock Park, New Haven, Conn. with the number 37705. This card probably dates from the "white border" era of 1915-1930. |
Pub. By NATCO, Natural Color Cards, Ridgefield Park, N.J.
Made by Dexter, West Nyack, N.Y. Ektachrome by Bill Forcht. Caption:
"
Judge’s Cave, atop West Rock, New Haven, Conn. In 1660, two Cromwellian judges who had
signed the death warrant of Charles I, sought refuge here from the officers of
the English Crown after the restoration of Charles II. Judge’s Cave now bears a
plaque with the inscription 'Opposition to Tyrants is Obedience to God.'" The postmark is Nov. 29, 1961.
The West Rock Tunnel (now Heroes Tunnel)
and the Wilbur Cross Pkwy.
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Published by Natural Color Cards, Bridgeport, Conn.
Made by Dexter Press, Inc., West Nyack, N.Y. Ektachrome by Jack Taylor. Judging by the bare earth on top of the tunnel, this picture was probably taken in summer 1950, but that is a guess on my part.
Rear
caption: "Connecticut’s West Rock Tunnel, the costliest of the 68
Wilbur Cross Parkway projects, is the state’s first vehicular tunnel.
Consisting of twin bores 1200 feet in length, it carries divided traffic
lane through West Rock, New Haven, about 200 feet below the summit of
the ridge. Work on the $2,000,000 project was started in March 1948. The
facility was opened to traffic on November 1, 1949."
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The
Wilbur Cross Parkway in March 2015 shows significant changes from the
historic postcard. The trees are much taller, there is a center
guardrail, the road is asphalt (not concrete), there is a sign for Exit
59, and the ridge has two antennas. Shopping centers (hidden by the
trees) have replaced the farms. The factory (with smokestack
to the right of the parkway in the postcard) has been demolished.
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| Ektachrome by Bill Furcht. Published By NATCO. Natural Color Cards Co, Ridgefield Park, N.J. Made by Dexter, West Nyack, N.Y. This postcard has the same caption on back as the first tunnel postcard in this section. |
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This
postcard shows a view of the West Rock Tunnel on the northbound Wilbur
Cross Parkway. This undated postcard does not have a postmark and was
published by
Lusterchrome. Reg. U.S.
Patent Office. Made only by Tichnor Bros. Inc., Boston, Mass. The rear
caption is the same as the first tunnel postcard shown on this page.
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H.P. Koppelmann, Pub. Agent, Hartford, Conn.
Curteichcolor Reproduction from Kodachrome or Ektachrome Original
Rear caption: West Rock Tunnel on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, Conn. This postcard was blank on the back, but the same postcard online had a postmark of Nov. 18, 1965.
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Dense
growth of trees and shrubs surrounds the tunnel in July 2014, while an
unsightly, but important guardrail divides the highway, and a green sign
indicates the name "Heroes Tunnel".
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The
top part of the photo is taken from the Hartford Turnpike bridge
looking north at the Exit 63 interchange and the bridge carrying Route
22 (Bishop Street) over the parkway. Note the lack of a center guardrail and the relative lack of trees. Lusterchrome. Made only by
Tichnor Bros. Inc., Boston, Mass. This postcard has the same caption on back as the first tunnel postcard in this section. The postmark on the back is unclear, but the stamp was for 8 cents, which was the cost from March 2, 1974 to Sept. 13, 1975. Judging by the cars, this photo dates from the 1940s.
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| The view of the Wilbur Cross Parkway from the Hartford Turnpike bridge
looking north at the Exit 63 interchange in June 2016. The angle is slightly different and the view is not as wide, but changes include the addition of a guardrail, the exit sign, and the trees are much taller. |
For additional postcard views, check out these postcard sites. These were direct links to West Rock postcards. If the direct link does not work, use the main link and search from there. These sites are more expensive than what I typically saw on eBay, but you can look for free!
- Whitlock's Book Barn, 20 Sperry Road, Bethany, also sells postcards and may have some West Rock postcards at reasonable prices. I purchased the third Judges Cave postcard displayed here for $3 in March 2015. At the time, the store only had four more West Rock postcards. The book barn sells used books and carries a variety of local history books. Of course, the stock will vary over time. Whitlock's is well worth a visit after a hike at West Rock. Check the website for hours, as the store is not open every weekday. Website: http://www.whitlocksbookbarn.com/shop/default.asp. Directions: Rt. 15 to Exit 59. Take Rt. 69 North for 4 miles. Left on Morris Road (look for the Whitlock's sign) and go 0.5 miles. Turn right on Sperry Road at the T-int. and turn IMMEDIATELY right by the white fence into Whitlocks. There are two barns on the property. The lower barn is the main location and where the cashier is located.
East Rock Park
There are many postcards of East Rock Park available for sale, and I have purchased a few select ones, which are included here.
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| The front of this postcard is titled "English
Drive and Soldiers
Monument, East Rock, New Haven, Conn." on the part I did not include
with the scan. This postcard has an undivided back and was published by the
Souvenir Postcard Co., New
York and Berlin, with a postmark of Sept. 17, 1907. Note the wooden railing and the stone dust surface.
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| The front of this postcard is titled "Soldier's Monument, East Rock Park, New Haven, Conn." The full name is the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. On the back it simply reads,"
Pub. By the Harold Hahn Co.
Inc., New Haven, Conn. The postmark is Aug. 6, 1935. The figures on the
monument are copper colored, while on the current monument they are
green. Also, note the lack of a fence in this historic view. | | | | | | |
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| The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument on top of East Rock in July 2015. The monument was
dedicated on June 17, 1887. It honors those who died during four wars:
the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil
War. The 50-page dedication guide from 1887 was available on the
Internet Archive, www.archive.org, when I came across it on June 9, 2019 when I posted
this picture. The guide is entitled "Official Program of Exercises Incident to the Dedication of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument at East Rock Park, New Haven, Conn., on Friday, June 17, 1887." |
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This view of English Drive at East Rock shows the switchback curve that was created by blasting away the rock face. This postcard with an undivided back was published by H.C. Leighton Co., Portland, Maine.
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| This postcard of the Rock Lane Bridge, East Rock Park, had a divided back and was published by SL&CO. The bridge was rehabilitated, essentially rebuilding it, in 2017: https://www.structuremag.org/?p=11009 |
Great postcards I will be sharing with Woodbridge friends.
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