1904 Delaware River Water Gap Kittatinny House Vintage Postcard, UDB

About This Vintage Postcard

Step into the golden age of American resort travel with this majestic view of the Kittatinny House perched high above the Delaware River. Established in 1829 by Antoine Dutot this grand structure was the first resort hotel in the Delaware Water Gap and eventually mushroomed into a massive five hundred room complex.

The scene captures the hotel massive white veranda and imposing presence on the side of Mount Minsi. Guests arrived by train and were whisked up to the hotel to enjoy the fresh mountain air and scenic cruises on the river below. This resort was once synonymous with the Poconos and served as a coast to coast destination for elite vacationers seeking a refuge from the bustling city life.

Details

Era: Undivided Back (c. 1904–1906)
City: Delaware Water Gap
State or Region: Monroe County, Pennsylvania
Country: United States
Topic: Kittatinny House, Delaware Water Gap History, Pocono Resort Architecture, Mount Minsi, River Views, Hotel
Condition: Uncirculated
Postage: None
Address Side: undivided back
Orientation: Horizontal (Landscape)
Artist / Photographer: Unknown
Publisher: The Hugh C. Leighton Co. (Portland, Maine)
Printer: Printed in Frankfort o/Main, Germany
Print Type: Lithograph / Chromolithograph

Additional Information

The publisher imprint identifies the firm as The Hugh C. Leighton Co. based in Portland Maine. This card is a high quality German lithograph printed in Frankfort o/Main. This partnership was a hallmark of the finest postcards produced during the early twentieth century. The undivided back narrows the manufacture date specifically to between 1904 and 1906. This was the final period before US postal regulations authorized the divided back in 1907.

The Kittatinny House was famous for an ingenious design where the Caldeno Creek flowed directly through the kitchen to provide natural refrigeration. This historic landmark was completely destroyed by a spectacular fire in October 1931 which marked the end of a century of grand resort hospitality. This card serves as a rare archival record of the hotel before it vanished from the Pennsylvania landscape.

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