If you look at Indiana’s state seal, you’ll spot a scene that hasn’t existed here in well over a century: a bison galloping across a hewn fence in the wilderness. Once, these massive animals roamed the Hoosier landscape in enormous numbers! Today, though, their presence is mostly symbolic. Aside from a few managed herds, the only place in Indiana where you can reliably see bison is at Ouabache State Park near Bluffton, where a small group lives within a dedicated range. Recently, I got to visit them.

I’m not sure how many postcards fit in a two-foot box, but it’s a lot. After my stepdad found his mom’s old collection, I was shocked to find two from tiny North Webster, Indiana! The first was of the old North Webster Motel, which I wrote about here. The second depicted the M&M Restaurant. I’d never heard of the place, so I set out to find whatever I could.

My stepdad was up in the attic the other day when he unearthed an enormous box of postcards his mom had collected. When I came by for a visit, he asked if I wanted to dig into them. I flipped through scenes from all over the place, including a couple of Indianapolis landmarks like the statehouse and the Indiana War Memorial. Then another Indiana card caught my eye: a snapshot of the old North Webster Motel! I’d been through the Kosciusko County community countless times, but couldn’t remember ever seeing a motel. I had to know if it was still there.