Traveling Along The Old Borax Trail

Vintage Plastichrome by Colourpicture postcard by Desert Graphix. Caption on back reads: The famous 20-Mule Team Borax Trains hauled over 1200 tons of borax a year from Death Valley in an era starting in the 1880's and extending to 1907. On the harsh desert trail to Mojave they passed near the yet undiscovered borax deposits near Boron, which ultimately replaced the Death Valley Borax operations.  This postcard was not posted, no postmark.

A Royal Pictures postcard.  Has note written on back, postmarked from Mojave, California on May 30, 1959. Caption on back reads: TWENTY MULE TEAM. The first mules used on the wagons built by J. S. W. Perry were owned by Charles Bennett. Ash and Hickory used was aged in the desert or the wagons would soon have fallen apart. Rear wheels were seven feet high, front wheels five feet, with steel tires eight inches wide and one inch thick. The complete wagon weighed three tons and carried ten tons. They cost around $900 each to build... MP  Photo-Color by Merle Porter.

A Western Resort Publications postcard. Caption on back reads:  Death Valley, California.  It is little wonder that the 20-mule team borax outfits of the late 1800's became world famous. They hauled 46,000 pounds of borax and their own water and hay over the arduous 165 mile, ten day trip to Mojave via Wingate Pass. The unbelievably long string of mules were controlled by a 125 foot check line that was connected with the lead animals. Color by Don Lidikay, Union Pacific R.R. Copyright Ferris H. Scott. This postcard was not posted, no postmark.

Be It Ever So Humble... Donkey Postcard

Postcard by The Thayer Publishing Co., Denver. Front caption:  8. Be It Ever So Humble, Etc.  A donkey facing a sad-looking stall, at least its home... Postmarked from Chicago, Illinois on August 31, 1907. Destination: Falls City, Nebraska.

Meekness - donkeys visiting over a fence

These two donkeys are having a friendly visit over a fence. Front caption: Meekness.  Note on back is unreadable, very faded. Postmarked from McAllister, Oklahoma on June 22, 1908.  Destination - St. Louis, Missouri.

Driven to Drink by a Woman.

Shows a woman riding a burro side-saddled to a watering trough.  Driven to drink by a Woman. Copyright is by Bamforth & Co. - Year is blurred, could be 1900, 1906, 1909.  Print on back: Holmfirth, Bamforth & Co. Publishers (England) and New York. Series No. 1145, Printed in England.  Note written on back, postmarked from Boston, Mass. Date appears to be August 2, 1909.  Destination - Springfield, Massachusetts.

Having His Morning's Morning - White Donkey

Older postcard showing a white donkey and a man sitting on a stool sharing a morning toast.  Having His Morning's Morning.  Note on front: How would you like to go fishing?  Postmarked from Maine, August 25, 1906.  Destination - North Jay, Maine.