This is postmarked 1956. It was published by Blackburn News Agency. The company was located on Boone Street, started in 1945 by Joseph D. Blackburn and his wife, both former school teachers in Charlotte. In 1960, they were servicing over 200 newsstands in the area with paperbacks and, obviously, postcards (Kingsport Times-News). It was printed by Curt Teich in Chicago.
Blackburn had a series of postcards of Kingsport. This is noted as B-27.
This was part of the Tennessee Valley Dragway (1965 – 1969), looking east to Cleek Road. Had the strip been completed, it would have spanned the 3/4-mile or so between Cleek Road and an area in front of the present Traders Village. Note: the access to this area is gated. It’s on private land.
Interesting history…read about it here.
In 1954, the Library was co-located with City Hall in the old YMCA building on the corner of Shelby and Center. This card (I’ve removed the name and the actual address) was what any thinking person got immediately upon arriving in town. It was the access to the world and a sanctuary, too.
Glenn Souders was working as a photographer for the Kingsport Times-News in the early 60s. I suppose the “Souders Photo Service” was a side business for him.
I mention this for two reasons: a) this is the only card I’ve ever seen that lists him as the publisher (it was printed by Dexter Press in New York) and b) I was hired by Glenn at WKPT Radio in 1967. He, much later, became a priest. He showed up at the station sometime in the 90s and the boss brought him by my office. The expression on my face when I saw him in a collar caused them both to laugh.
Bob Lawrence's Kingsport 