“Away Down in Maine” – Johnstown, PA (1910)

Mr. George Wright was in Alum Bank, a borough (also known as “Pleasantville”) in northwestern Bedford County of south-central Pennsylvania.

In 1910, fewer than 200 people resided in Alum Bank, about the same number that live there today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pleasantville,_Bedford_County,_Pennsylvania

In September of 1910, George received an art postcard from Z. M. W., possibly a relative.

The postcard was mailed from Johnstown, the city at the head of the Conemaugh River in Cambria County – about 57 miles east of Pittsburgh,

Spread across a valley between Appalachian ridges, Johnstown has been flooded repeatedly – most notably in the deadly disaster of 1889.

A port city on the Pennsylvania Canal system, then a depot for the Pennsylvania Railroad, Johnstown prospered at the turn of the 20th century.

Today, the city has five historic districts.

Johnstown was a center of the coal, iron, and steel industries until the era of de- industrialization after World War II.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnstown,_Pennsylvania

Alum Bank is 24 miles southeast of Johnstown.

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The face of the postcard is a lovely example of postcard art.

A rugged path leads gently upwards through a meadow, toward a structure that may be a barn.

A few birch trees reach into the blue expanse of the wide skies.

The top of another building can be seen over the crown of the hill.

In the distance are tree-covered hills.

The scene bears a printed legend, “Away Down in Maine”.

“Down East” in Maine refers to the ruggedly beautiful maritime counties in which Acadia National Park is located.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Down_East

In the 1920’s, the song by Walter Donaldson, “Away Down East in Maine” became very popular.

https://imslp.org/wiki/Away_Down_East_in_Maine_(Donaldson,_Walter)

There appears to be an attribution of artist or publisher in the lower left of the face, but I could not distinguish it.

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On the reverse, the written message begins without a greeting.

The writer complains, “I was looking for you all day on Sat.”

ZMW adds, “When are you coming?”

One hopes that George made the visit as promised and that the correspondents exchanged many more postcards.

RESEARCH NOTE

In September of 1892, George Forest Wright was born in Pleasantville, PA

He was the son of John William Wright (1859-1930) and Charlotte Hancock Clark (1861-1959)’

John and Charlotte had been married in 1880, and proceeded to have six sons and three daughters -all of whom lived to adulthood.

George Wright received the postcard at the time of his 18th birthday.

In February of 1913, George married Helen Frances Davis (1894-1974).

The couple had four children although one son died in infancy.

George registered for the draft in 1917, but was not called,

He was in Philadelphia in 1920, presumably completing his education as he became a medical doctor.

George registered for the draft in 1942 and completed his service z(presumably as a physician0 in St. Louis.

Like many members of his family, George spent much of his adult life in the Johnstown region of Cambria County.

George died in June of 1949 at the age of 57.

Helen lived as a widow for 25 years; she died in Johnstown in 1974, at age 80. George and Helen are buried in the Grandview Cemetery in Cambria County.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/93302612/george-forest-wright

This photo was attached to the genealogical records of George F. Wright in the Family Search database.

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