Towboat “America” Passing Alton, Illinois – 1960 Postcard

A striking black and white postcard showing the towboat America of the American Barge Line Co., photographed by the Alton Evening Telegraph. The vessel glides past the riverfront at Alton, Illinois, a hub of mid-century barge traffic along the Mississippi.

Postmarked January 26, 1960, from Cottage Hills, Illinois, this card carries a warm handwritten note to Mrs. Mildred Hoe in Van Nuys, California, stamped with a 3¢ Liberty issue. The message mentions travel through Las Cruces and a friend’s recovery.

A wonderful example of riverboat ephemera and mid-century correspondence, combining industrial history with personal storytelling.