Mrs. Louisa Hinkle lived in Oskaloosa, a city and county seat of Mahaska County in central Iowa.
Oskaloosa is built on a high ridge between the Skunk and Des Moines rivers; the first European settlers were connected to Fort Des Moines which was erected there in 1835.
Coal for local consumption was gathered from the river valley cliffs in early years, but the arrival of multiple railroad lines later in the 19th century led to the development of coal – mining as the area’s primary industry.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oskaloosa,_Iowa
In December of 1911, Louisa received a Christmas postcard from her grandchildren.
The postcard was mailed from a town in Indiana, possibly “New Maysville”.
(Almost half of the postmark is unintelligible.)
New Maysville is an unincorporated community in Putnam County of central Indiana; it had a Post Office from 1834 -1919.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Maysville,_Indiana
Oskaloosa is about 390 miles northwest of central Indiana.
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The face of the postcard is a gold field with a faint striped pattern.
There is some fading and foxing of this background.
A medallion drawing of a rural farmstead is surrounded by pink blossoms.
Above the drawing, three swallows swoop across the card.
A printed message in white letter proclaims, “Best Christmas Wishes”.
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On the reverse, Mrs. Hinkle is addressed as “Dear Grandmother”.
The writers “Hope you are all well” and promise, “We think of you often”.
Grandmother is assured that “the rest of the folks are well”.
Unfortunately, someone (possibly in the in the extended family) has died – “Eurie Hinkle will be buried at Clear Creek today.”
Clear Creek is an unincorporated community in Monroe County of south-central Indiana.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear_Creek,_Indiana
The place is named for the Clear Creek that flows through the area.
The message is sent “with love” from Emery, Ella, and Lois.
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Thus far, I have been unsuccessful in finding any of the persons named in the postcard.
Grandmother seems to have enjoyed the Christmas remembrance as it survived more than a century.
One hopes that the grandchildren, along with all of their relatives and friends, enjoyed a wonderful Christmas.
