Original antique postcard featuring the historic Pocono Mountain House at Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, one of the great early resort hotels of the Pocono Mountains.
The view shows the sprawling multi-story resort across its landscaped grounds, beautifully reflected in the water in the foreground. Printed along the lower edge:
“9747. Pocono Mountain House, Mt. Pocono, Pa.”
The card was produced by the Detroit Publishing Co. and bears its distinctive “Phostint” marking.
This is an especially attractive piece of early Pocono Mountains resort and tourism history.
The Pocono Mountain House originated in the 1870s when Edward E. Hooker and a partner purchased approximately 400 acres and established a sportsmen's clubhouse. Hooker subsequently developed the property into a hotel, expanding it repeatedly as tourism in the Pocono Mountains grew.
By about 1900, the resort included the large main hotel, cottages, stables and barns and could accommodate approximately 300 guests, making it one of Monroe County's largest resorts. The main building was five stories tall and featured an extraordinary 17,000 square feet of verandas. Guests could enjoy tennis, golf, boating, horseback riding, fishing and other activities.
The resort closed to the public in 1933. After decades of deterioration, the remaining hotel structures were burned by the Pocono Mountain Fire Department in 1974. The springhouse survives.
There is even a Library of Congress photograph of the Pocono Mountain House dated 1905, confirming the appearance of the enormous resort during this period.
Postmark: Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
County: Monroe County
Date: July 27, 1909
Post Office: Mount Pocono
Post Office Established: 1836 (as shown in supplied postal-history reference)
Status: Active post office — not a DPO
Stamp: 1¢ green Benjamin Franklin
Destination: Kutztown, Pennsylvania
Recipient: Dr. C. J. Adams
Postal Use: Genuine period usage
The Mount Pocono cancellation is strong and attractive, with MOUNT POCONO / PA. readily legible.
Type: Printed Postcard
Era: Divided Back Era (1907–1915)
Year: 1909
Postmarked: Yes
Postmark Location: Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
County: Monroe County
Subject: Pocono Mountain House
Theme: Hotels, Resorts, Travel, Tourism, Pennsylvania History
City: Mount Pocono
State: Pennsylvania
Region: Pocono Mountains
Publisher: Detroit Publishing Co.
Series/Process: Phostint
Card Number: 9747
Stamp: 1¢ Benjamin Franklin
Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
Number of Items: 1
Good antique used condition with expected age-related wear. Light corner and edge wear, minor surface soiling and toning are visible. Reverse contains period handwriting and postal markings. The image remains colorful and attractive, and the Mount Pocono postmark is clearly readable.
Please review photographs carefully for exact condition.
Pocono Mountain House, Mount Pocono Pennsylvania, Mount Pocono PA, Pocono Mountains, Pocono Mountain resort, Pocono resort hotel, Pocono hotel, historic Pocono hotel, Pennsylvania resort, Pennsylvania hotel, Monroe County Pennsylvania, Monroe County PA, Mount Pocono postmark, Mount Pocono cancel, Pennsylvania postal history, 1909 postcard, antique postcard, vintage postcard, divided back postcard, Detroit Publishing Company, Detroit Publishing Co, Phostint postcard, Phostint card, early tourism, resort history, Pennsylvania tourism, historic hotel, grand hotel, Benjamin Franklin stamp, 1 cent Franklin, Kutztown Pennsylvania, Pocono history