This month’s History Mystery postcard was sent from an Oakley resident in 1911 to family back in Pennsylvania. Historian Carol Jensen wants to know more about the man in the picture.

His name is LL Guss, and in this letter he writes, “Dear Cousin, I received your letter – I was down to see Taft large crowd. We have had a cool summer. On the other side is my first load of almonds had 2½ tons this year. When I get some easy money will visit Juniata. Hope this will find you all well. With regards, LL Guss.”

“Our proud almond farmer shown here with his first crop poses on the truck with his teamster,” Jensen said. “We don’t know if LL Guss stayed in the area or if he has descendants here in the Delta. … This photograph can tell us so much about East County in the first decade of the new, 20th century.”

Jensen is also curious if Guss is referring to President William Howard Taft, who was president from 1909 to 1913, and if so, what was he doing in the area? She’d also like to know about the other man in the photo and where the photo was taken.

Real photo postcards taken by photographers traveling in their mobile darkroom/studio wagons were common prior to introduction of personal cameras. These images were taken and printed in batches onto postcard stock on the spot. People wishing to provide proof of their success in the West sent these images back home.

Those who know about Guss and other details shown in the postcard may e-mail Jensen at historian@byronhotsprings.com.