Mr. P. H. Repp lived in West Pittston, a borough on the Susquehanna River in Luzerne County of northeast Pennsylvania.
In 1912, this area was dominated by industries related to the provision of mining equipment and supplies.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Pittston,_Pennsylvania
In October of 1912, Mr. Repp received a postcard from Mickey.
I believe that this is a nickname, as the author inscribes “Mickey” in quotes.
Mickey mailed the postcard from New York City.
The face of the postcard is a drawing of the north side of Union Square in Manhattan.
The first iteration of this urban park, created at the “union” of two principal thoroughfares -“Bloomingdale Road” and “Bowery Road”, was developed in 1832.
In succeeding generations, Union Square was a center of residential mansions, the city’s first theater district, an outpost of financial and investment firms, a shopping destination, a restaurant mecca, and episodic periods of disrepair and dereliction.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Square,_Manhattan
In this postcard image, the red brick Queen Anne-stye building between the taller buildings (the “Century Building”) has been a Barnes & Noble superstore and the site of book-signings of many notable authors.
(I met the playwright, Arthur Miller, at such a literary event there.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_Building_(Union_Square,_Manhattan)
Union Square witnessed historic meetings and demonstrations that are too numerous to list exhaustively.
Among these are the patriotic demonstration (of a quarter million people) when major Robert Anderson displayed the torn flag from Fort Sumter (1861), the First Labor Day Parade (1882, Emma Goldman’s Free Bread” speech (1893), and the all-night vigil on the night after the bombing of the World Trade Center (2001).
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On the reverse, Mickey reports on a recent boat excursion: “Had Fred and Stan over on the boat today and showed them all around.”
The party missed Mr. Repp.
Mickey writes, “Too bad you were not here to see the sights.”
Micky then refers to Ray – presumably another mutual friend.
“Ray is here and sends his best regards to you.
The message was sent, “Fondly”.
Mr. Repp preserved the postcard in very good condition throughout his life.
One hopes that he had other opportunities to participate in excursions to New York City.
GENEALOGICAL NOTE
In August of 1860, Philip Henry Repp was born in Scranton, PA.
He was the son of Friedrich Repp (1827-1902) and Elisabeth Wolfinger (1831-1906).
Baby Philip was baptized in the First Presbyterian Church of Scranton.
Friedrich and Elisabeth were married in Warren County NJ in 1849 – the couple had 5 sons and 2 daughters, although the second daughter and youngest child, died at age 10.
In 1882, Philip Henry Repp married Emma Kintz (1862-1918) in West Pittston, PA.
Philip and Emma had three sons and one daughter, all of whom lived into adulthood.
Philip had sons named, “Frederick” and “Stanley” – and I believe that these sons are the “Fred” and “Stan” of the postcard message.
It is possible that the third son, “James” has the nickname, “Mickey” – although I have no evidence for this.
Census records identify Philip as a “blacksmith” and, later, as a “boiler inspector”.
He died in West Pittston in 1944 and is buried with his wife in the West Pittston Cemetery.
