Josie Ballato shows a hand-colored postcard from 1911 of Christ Church in Alexandria. Ballato has spent the past 6 years collecting postcards from all over the state of Virginia, dating from 1906 to 1960. They show the transformation of Virginia through the years.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: Alexandria, history

Josie Ballato attempts to find a location with the help of the Alexandria Library Local History Special Collections staff.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: Alexandria, history

King Street, looking north toward Leesburg is among the collection of Josie Ballato.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: history, Leesburg

King Street, looking north toward Leesburg.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: history, Leesburg

King Street, looking north toward Leesburg.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: history, Leesburg

King Street, looking north toward Leesburg is among the collection of Josie Ballato who has spent the past 6 years collecting postcards from all over the state of Virginia dating from 1906 to 1960.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: history, Leesburg

View of Big Spring near Leesburg.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: history, Leesburg

Post Office and Opera House in Purcellville.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: post office, Purcellville

Oak Park Restaurant and Motel in Gainesville, Va.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: gainesville, history

Josie Ballato has spent the past six years collecting postcards from all over the state of Virginia and dating from 1906 to 1960.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: history

A postcard of Buckingham housing development in Arlington, touted as an "American Way of Life."

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: Arlington, Va., history

A fishing scene in Fredericksburg.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: fredericksburg, history

A hand-colored postcard from 1911 of Christ Church in Alexandria.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: Alexandria, history

A scene of an apple orchard near Staunton, Va.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: history, staunton

A postcard from the 1930s taken on January 14 at Leesburg Camp.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: history, Leesburg

Josie Ballato's postcard collection shows the transformation from a rural Virginia to the more urban Virginia of today.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: history

A hand-colored postcard of the the Court House in Culpeper, Va.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: culpeper, history

A postcard from 1906 of the Court House in Culpeper, Va.

Photo: Nikki Kahn, Washington Post

Tagged: culpeper, history