Miss Effie K. Stevens lived in Somerville, a city north of Cambridge and northwest of Boston in east-central Massachusetts.
Archeological sites demonstrate that this area near the Mystic River was inhabited by groups of indigenous people for millennia before European settlers arrived in the 17th century.
In the 19th century, Somerville developed a significant brick-making industry.
Rapid industrialization swelled the population as new businesses attracted large numbers of immigrants.
At the beginning of the 20th century the city was linked to several rail lines and connected by numerous streetcar routes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Somerville,_Massachusetts
In October of 1907, Effie received a postcard from Mabel.
The postcard was mailed from Springfield, a city at the confluence of three rivers in Hampden County of west-central Massachusetts.
As the largest city in western New England, Springfield had an important role in the American Revolution, and its gun factories supplied the “Springfield Rifle” to hundreds of thousands of Union soldiers in the Civil War.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springfield,_Massachusetts
Somerville is about 90 miles northeast of Springfield.
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The face of the postcard is a hand-colored photograph of a “View from Summit of Mount Tom”.
The title continues, “Showing part of Easthampton, Mass.”
Mount Tom is the highest peak (1100 feet) in a ridge of ancient volcanic rock that rises above the west bank of the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Tom_(Massachusetts)
The natural wonder is believed to be named for Rowland Thomas, a colorful character who was part of a survey team for the early settlement of Springfield (1660’s).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rowland_Thomas
(Rowland’s surveying partner, Elizur Holyoke, gave his name to Mount Holyoke on the east side of the river.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizur_Holyoke
The city of Easthampton lies along the Manhon River in the “Pioneer Valley” of Hampshire County – about 14 miles north of Springfield.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easthampton,_Massachusetts
The postcard was published by the Hugh C. Leighton Company of Portland, Maine; it was printed in Frankfort, Germany.
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Because the postcard has an “undivided back”, Mabel has written a few lines on the margin of the face.
Mabel reports that she “Arrived home safely”.
It seems that Mabel was traveling with luggage as she notes, “got along very nicely with my high box, little box, hand bag, and bundle.”
In closing, Mabel promises, “Will write soon”.
The message was sent, “Lovingly”.
One hoes that the correspondents exchanged many more postcards in the years to come.
