Vintage America: Meshoppen, Pennsylvania

Meshoppen is a borough of about 450 peopleÂ in Wyoming County, in northeast Pennsylvania.Â

The community is located on the Susquehanna River, about 34 miles northwest of Scranton, PA.

This linen postcardÂ intends to illustrate an overlook of the Susquehanna River.Â The card was never mailed, and the colors remain clear and bright.

*Â

Here is a vintage postcard (which can be shared) from the Meshoppen Community homepage:

Comments: 14

Gessy D. Oct 18, 2009, 8:36am UTC

Nice photos.

Peter Wimsey Oct 18, 2009, 9:10am UTC

Thanks, Gessy.

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Roy ☯ Hilbinger Oct 18, 2009, 8:54am UTC

Interesting. I went and visited the community page on ePodunk; it seems it was once a stagecoach stop. Heh, heh! I wonder if the Greyhound or Trailways bus lines stop there now? And I see that the name means "place of beads", which makes me wonder if back in the 1700s it was a trading post, or if before the Europeans arrived it was a spot where Native American tribes met to trade.

Good find, Peter.

Peter Wimsey Oct 18, 2009, 9:10am UTC

Glad to hear elaboration of the few facts I could find about Meshoppen, Roy

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Adelaide M. Oct 18, 2009, 9:12am UTC

Cool postcards. I actually had to take a second look at the first one. I'm not sure I've ever seen Pennsylvania abbreviated Penna. Very interesting.

Kenn T. Oct 18, 2009, 9:26am UTC

I think if you look closely on packaged bakery products, Adelaide, you will see the notation "Reg. Dept. Penna. Agr." This is standard practice to assure consumers that the baked good will even pass strict Pennsylvania standards. For more information on this (though I can hardly imagine why you'd want more...) see http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/306/why-is-reg-dept-penna-agr-on-so-many-labels

Adelaide M. Oct 18, 2009, 9:30am UTC

That's pretty cool. I didn't say I was observant, I just said I hadn't seen it. :) I'll have to check it out, thanks for the info. It's also rather interesting that different states have different food standards. It makes sense, I've just never thought about it. Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

Peter Wimsey Oct 18, 2009, 10:08am UTC

Glad that you found the postcard, Adelaide.

I grew up in Pennsylvania, so I have often seen that abbreviation.

Dave Sandborg Oct 19, 2009, 9:19am UTC

I hadn't seen that abbreviation until I moved to this state. I think it may be older than the more modern PA. I think you can still see "Penna" on some road signs for the Turnpike.

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Peter Wimsey Oct 18, 2009, 10:18am UTC

Thanks for noting the "Penna Dept of Agriculture" sticker, Kenn.

Pennsylvania was a pioneer in pure food and drug laws - long before the FDA was created and there were national standards that Republican administrations would ignore.

In the late 19th century, before widespread irrigation made possible the boom in California agriculture, PA was a major producer of agricultural products.

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Dannielle S. Oct 18, 2009, 3:21pm UTC

Hey! That's our river! I can walk to the banks of the Susquehanna from my house, and we've canoed that river several times. (But, yes, I know it runs all the way down to the Chesapeake. Just joking around a little.)

I've seen signs for Meshoppen but never bothered to go there.

Peter Wimsey Oct 19, 2009, 6:53am UTC

"I've seen signs for Meshoppen but never bothered to go there."

It isn't a very large place, with a population around 400.

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Peter Wimsey Oct 19, 2009, 6:54am UTC

Congratulations on your 87th birthday, Ruth.

How wonderful to remember the successful dairy farm of the thirties! I am sure that there are still some farms in the area.

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Vintage America: Meshoppen, Pennsylvania

Comments: 14

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