A close look at the colorized 1914 picture postcard of Citizens Bank on the Square in Athens reveals that in front of each teller window was an absolute necessity of the day: A bright brass spittoon.

On Tuesday, Athens resident Ann Crutcher walked into the Limestone County Archives with a special donation: A bright brass spittoon just like the ones pictured. It was handed down to her from her grandfather, A.D. McWilliams, who had it at his bank when he was president of Citizens Bank’s competitor on the other side of the Square, Limestone County Bank.

Now through March 15, the spittoon and the postcard, along with historic postcards that capture scenes from around the county and state, are on display at the Limestone County Archives exhibit space.

The Archives is hosting the traveling Wade Hall Postcards exhibit featuring historic buildings from around Alabama, including a postcard of Founders Hall at Athens State University. The exhibit is created and sponsored by Troy University and the Alabama Humanities Foundation. In addition, selected postcards from the Limestone County Archives postcard collection featuring Limestone County scenes and buildings are on display.

“Visitors will recognize many of the scenes and buildings displayed on our postcards, such as our own building, photographed when it was in operation as the L&N Passenger Depot,” said Limestone County Archivist Rebekah Davis. “However, other scenes, such as the old Limestone County Fairgrounds and the first Athens High School, now exist only in postcards and memories.”

Wade Hall collected approximately 25,000 vintage postcards from all over the word, ranging from the early 1900s to the 1960s. Hall donated his collection to the Troy University Archives. For more information about the Wade Hall Postcards, visit trojan.troy.edu/library/wadehall/.

The exhibit is open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Limestone County Archives, 102 W. Washington St., Athens. For more information, call 256-233-6404 or e-mail archives@limestonecounty-al.gov.