This humorous postcard is a good example of the comic and novelty cards that became especially popular in the early 1900s. The exaggerated illustration of a man struggling to pull a stubborn horse or mule, alongside the caption “Things Are Pretty Slow Here”, was designed as a light-hearted joke card to send to friends or relatives.
The postcard was mailed in June 1907 from Bolair, West Virginia to Mexico, New York, and still has its original one-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp attached. The undivided back design, where only the address could be written on the reverse, helps date the card to the early postcard era in the United States, just before divided backs became standard.
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Comic postcards like this stubborn mule postcard were hugely popular because they were inexpensive, easy to send, and often carried playful messages or local humour. The handwritten note across the front adds even more character and reminds us that postcards were once one of the quickest and most common ways to keep in touch.
I particularly like the bold colours and expressive artwork on this card. Despite being over a century old, the humour still feels surprisingly relatable today.
