A halftone photograph shows a crew of men in heavy coats and hats standing in a wooden surfboat pulled up on a sandy beach, with a wrecked vessel's masts faintly visible offshore at right. The printed caption names the scene "The Return from the Wreck, Cape Cod," evoking the surfmen of the U.S. Life-Saving Service, whose stations along the Outer Cape went out in such boats to rescue crews from stranded ships. Cape Cod's shoals and storms made wrecks common, and lifesaving crews were celebrated locally for their rescues.
Black-and-white halftone reproduction with visible dot screen; narrow white margin at bottom carrying the caption; light corner and edge wear. Postmark: PROVINCETOWN MASS 1908 — cancellation partly hidden by the ornate "Post Card" heading. Undivided back ("This side is for the address"), 1¢ green Franklin stamp (Series 1902), coarse halftone print with white border; light wear and toning at edges.
Cite this card
The Return from the Wreck, Cape Cod, MA, 1908, postcard, c. 1908. PostalPast Collection. https://postalpast.com/postcard/the-return-from-the-wreck-cape-cod-ma-1908. Accessed November 2, 2026.
