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When post cards were first issued, nothing could be written on the address side of the card but the address. The dividing line on postcards did not come about until 1907.

With the issuance of the 1c postal card in May of 1873 the Post Office Department decided nothing was to be written on the front of a postal card except the address. In fact, there is on record a first issue postal card with 5c postage due charged because there was a date written on the address side of the postal card.

Again in the case of the private mailing cards authorized as of July 1, 1898, a personal message could not appear on the front or address side of the post card. This is illustrated by the card in Figure 1 which has on it the following statement just to the left of the dividing line: "In space below may be written sender's name and address. (Figure 1 omitted) When other writing appears, postage is at letter rates."

However, a new postal regulation effective as of March 1 1907 permitted personal messages on the left 1/3 of the front of the postal/post cards. Apparently the sender of the card in Figure 1 was unaware of the new regulation as the card is postmarked March 8, 1907.

An interesting card is shown in Figure 2. (Figure 2 omitted) Here the card was mailed from Red Wing, MN on February 23, 1907 with a 1c stamp affixed. As the sender had written a message to the left of the dividing line and the postmaster at Red Wing noticed it so he handstamped the card "Held for Postage/Feb. 23, 1907", as it was now considered to be letter rated at 2c. The addressee being notified sent the 1c stamp as requested. The postmaster at Red Wing then handstamped the card "This is the mail matter for which you sent postage." The 1c stamp was affixed to the card and postmarked Red Wing, MN February 26, 1907. This action was in accord with the postal regulations as it was mailed prior to the new regulation of March 1, 1907 permitting a message. The card was received at Menominee, MI and postmarked February 27, 1907. A very interesting "Held for postage" post card and used just before the new regulation went into effect.

Of course it would be a real challenge to find a post card with a message written on the left of the card as shown in Figure 3 on the first day of the regulation, but April 24, 1907 is still a very early use. (Figure 3 omitted)

Finally, not to be outdone, the postal authorities issued a new 1c postal card (Scott UX20) on January 2, 1908 with a dividing line and the statement: "The spa below may be used for correspondence" and a used copy is shown in Figure 4. (Figure 4 omitted)

While a single card by itself is interesting, it is more of a challenge to be able to present a sequence of cards which represent a picture of the evolution of a postal regulation, the "1907 Dividing Line."