Master Homer Shoener resided in McKeansburg, now a census-designated place near the Little Schuylkill River in Schuylkill County of east-central Pennsylvania.
First settled by Europeans at the start of the 19th century, the community was named for the second Governor of Pennsylvania, Thomas McKean.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKeansburg,_Pennsylvania
The first settlers included many German immigrant families who survived by farming hunting and lumbering.
Although a small community today, McKeansburg was the site of the first court sessions in the county, and was home to an historic hotel that supported traders and travelers on the Catawissa Road.
https://www.livingplaces.com/PA/Schuylkill_County/East_Brunswick_Township/McKeansburg.html
We met Homer and his brother and another relative in earlier postcard stories”
“Mrs. Shoener Sends an Invitation” (1922), “Linwood Sends a Turkey” (1908), and “Homer Has a Birthday” (1910).
In August of 1907, Homer received a postcard from an unidentified friend.
(There is a partial signature visible on the bottom of the face, but I could neither distinguish it nor identify it as an artist’s mark.)
The postcard was mailed from Orwigsburg, a borough in Schuylkill County that was the first county seat (before the designation of Pottsville).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orwigsburg,_Pennsylvania
In 1907, Orwigsburg had a population of about 1700 citizens.
McKeansburg is less than 5 miles northeast of Orwigsburg.
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The face of the postcard is a painting of “The Five Gables” and a location of “Stratford- on-Avon”.
Stratford-on-Avon is an historic market town of Warwickshire, on the River Avon about 91 miles northwest of London.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stratford-upon-Avon
The “Five Gables” was constructed as a status residence in the late 1620’s, the timber-framed building is noted for the over-hanging upper stories.
The Shakespeare Hotel, whose sign is included in the scene, was incorporated into the Five Gables hotel property in the late 19th century.
(Shakespeare died in 1616 – he never saw the Five Gables although he might have seen the “Four Gables” tavern which was combined to form the Shakespeare Hotel.
The art postcard was published by Max Ettlinger & Co. Ltd. of London and New York.
The ornate insignia of the firm includes the phrase, “The Royal Series”.
The postcard was printed in England.
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On the reverse, the ‘undivided back” has no place for a message.
We note that the postcard, after being mailed in Orwigsburg, was stamped in New Ringgold – presumably, the mail sack was transferred there.
New Ringgold is a small borough along the Little Schuylkill River, less than 2 miles northeast of Mckeansburg.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Ringgold,_Pennsylvania
Today, all mail to McKeansburg is postmarked from New Riggold; the McKeansburg post office was closed in 1963.
Homer seems to have appreciated the English scene.
The postcard was preserved (with what may have been a sizable postcard collection) throughout Homer’s life.
