A market or “a relic of barbarism?”

Arnold Modlin discusses how postcards from the early decades of the twentieth century can be used to examine the changing meaning of heritage tourism landscapes – specifically the slave market in St. Augustine, Florida (USA). Expanding on previous studies, he first describes how shopping websites, such as eBay, can be used to acquire postcards. Second, Modlin argues that the messages written by tourists and the audience of postcard recipients should be considered together with postcard images and captions – a practice that has rarely been done. Seen in this way, postcards can be understood as part of a larger conversation attempting to define and redefine heritage sites.