Miss Elsie Klein lived at 481 East 140th Street in the Bronx, New York City.
This handsome building of brick and stone was constructed as an apartment building in 1910, so Elsie may have been one of the original tenants.
The five-story structure is very well-preserved within the Historic District of Mott Haven.
In June of 1912, Elsie received a postcard from Naples, Italy.
Naples, the ancient city founded by the Greeks in southwest Italy, was a favored spot for tourists in the Mediterranean.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naples
The postcard was sent by Eddie, who appeared to be staying at the “Grand Hotel du Vesuve”.
The hotel takes its name from the volcano (about five mikes away) that buried the nearby cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Vesuvius
The face of the postcard bears a photograph of the foyer or lobby of the hotel.
This grand hotel, constructed on the Napoli waterfront in 1882, is located near the Royal Place, the San Carlo Theater – and remains a five-star luxury hotel today.
On the reverse, Eddie writes that “we arrived here today” and “the trip across was fine”.
Eddie has already taken a walk to a nearby park.
The travel group may be using Naples as a enter for other excursions – Eddie reports, “tomorrow (we) will go to Capri and Blue Grotto.”
Eddie finds that “the hotel is very fine”, and he promises “will write you another card from here after we have taken in some sights.”
In closing, Eddie hopes that “you are all well at home” and he sends his love.
Elsie preserved the postcard photograph in good condition throughout her life.
One hopes that Eddie continued to enjoy his adventures in Italy, that he returned safely to New York, and that he shared many travel tales with Elsie.
