In 1947 England, George sends his daughter a postcard featuring smoke-belching factories. “It isn’t quite as bad as this,” he assured her. Why was such an image glorified? Who on earth would put it on a postcard in the first place? The answer lies in our changing definition of prosperity. In post–World War II England, such an environmentally egregious sight signified industrial fortitude. Now of course, our values have changed and, with them, our visual indicators of prosperity.

To see this postcard and other similar industrial-themed postcards, visit energyphile.org/stoke.