In August of 1910, Ruth was in Woodbine where she was very busy- making hay, visiting the Wild West Show, finding elderberries, getting red feather plumes, and going up to Airville for candy.

Woodbine and Airville are small communities in southern York County, Pennsylvania.

Ruth wrote to her brother, Master Earl Becker, who was living at the corner of Prospect Street and Vander Avenue in York.

After sharing her news and offering to bring some elderberries, Ruth reports that Andy’s grandma was unable to visit even though the weather was fine.

I believe that the grandma is Mrs. Vandersloot, who Ruth notes is “sick”.

The postcard contains a hand-tinted photograph of the reservoirs and aerating fountain in York.

In the early twentieth century, cities were proud of their public works – especially those related to health and safety.

This enormous reservoir was eventually made obsolete.  It was covered for some time, then filled in.

The area is now a park in the city of York, PA.

Readers of a York County history site shared recollections of seeing the empty reservoir – it was enormous.