Michael Cioffi said the postcard, which features a picture of Yellowstone National Park's Tower Falls and bears a green 1-cent stamp, was addressed to "Miss Margeret McDonald," a member of a family that lived in his house before he purchased it in 1998, the Boston Globe reported Wednesday.

"It just showed up in the mail," he said.

Cioffi said the card bears the initials "M.C." and includes an equally brief message: the lone word "Greetings."

He said he does not think he'll be able to find any surviving members of the McDonald family to receive the card.

"The last one passed away, and the estate sold the house," he said.