When Lewis Matheney left his hometown of Cookeville at age 15, his Aunt, who had been in the role of his mother since he was a very young motherless child, reluctantly loosened the apron strings, placed him on his path, and let him go. However, her love has followed him, as seen in the thirty-seven years of postcards she has written – and continues to write – sending to him wherever he has roamed.
Along the way, and mostly beginning with the advent of eBay, Matheney began collecting vintage postcards of Tennessee, perhaps inspired by the ones he had saved over the years from his aunt.
Matheney donated his collection of over 300 postcards to the Cookeville History Museum, where his aunt, Mrs.
H.C. (Gene Evelyn) Warren, is a volunteer.
Many of those postcards are featured in a book to be released by Matheney’s publishing company on June 21 entitled “Weather Is Great, Wish You Were Here: Postcards From Cookeville And Tennessee.” Matheney is donating all copies of the book to the Museum.
The book contains over 230 postcards and other vintage images, showing great historical structures, rich vistas and sweeping views of Tennessee’s countryside. There are also quirky and quaint images, from a postcard depicting a small town chicken conference, to early 20th Century roadside motor courts and cabins. Together they tell the history of Tennessee for a period of over 100 years.
Matheney is hosting a book release party in his aunt’s honor to coincide with the Museum’s exhibit of the postcards, also in his aunt’s honor. The party will take place at the Clarion Inn Hotel, 970 South Jefferson Avenue, Cookeville, on Saturday, June 21, from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Complimentary beverages and light food will be served, and 300 limited edition copies of the book will be available for purchase. All proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Cookeville History Museum. The event is open to the general public.
Contact: Cody Hofstetter
609-712-2714
cody@limvista.com
Sight-seeing car full of tourists cruises around Lookout Mountain.