The best resource I had found on this topic was the Indiana State Library's Carnegie Library page. Recently a 2009 revision, as an Excel spreadsheet, has reappeared online.
(L) 1907 Curt Teich post card, mailed 1911.
(R) Library in city street context.
Shed to the right of the library reads 'LION S ORE.' Spiffy Acmegraph card.
Most of the northwest Indiana libraries have extremely interesting histories. Hammond, due to its proximity to Gary, has a bad reputation that just isn't deserved.
1904 Carnegie grant. Razed, 1967. There was no attempt to keep the building in use via an addition, but times were good in the Steel Belt back then.
(L) It looks like the building on the far right of the postcard has 'HOLST' painted on it.
This is an E.C. Kropp card, printed in Milwaukee. They tended to leave in small, cryptic details which other postcard manufacturers removed.
(R) One of the final postcards made of the library. This Curt Teich Art-Creation dates from 1955.
1903 Carnegie grant. Minor 1986 renovation. Still in use.
(L) Rather unattractive card, unattributed.
(R) Imitation 'Blue sky' card by the Auburn Post Card Manufacturing Co., never mailed.
Built in 1901. Currently (since 1987) used as an instructional center for schools.
Lefthand card (early C.T. Photochrom) mailed 1915; righthand, 1908.
See East Chicago for details.
1902 grant. I don't know when it was replaced, but it had been used by IU-Southeast for classrooms, before
its stint as a local history museum.
Formerly operated as the
Remnant Trust repository for rare works and documents, but concerns over subpar conditions for archival preservation closed the building.
Now, the building can be rented.
(L) Sepia card dates from 1907. In anticipation of postal regulation
change, the reverse of the divided back says,'After Feb. 28, 1907,
the space below may be used for correspondence.'
(R) Curt Teich linen finish card includes the city's post office.
1912 grant. Now combined with the Limberlost Public Library. Apparently still in use.
(L) Curt Teich card from the 1920s.
(R) Side view in linen finish published by the Sturgis News Agency. Quite possibly printed by MWM.
Now known as the Kentland Jefferson Township Library.
Built in 1912, from a 1909 Carnegie grant. Resembles the Geneva, Illinois Carnegie library. A recent renovation was sensitively added.
In contrast to the architecture, the card isn't exactly made with high production values. It seems to date from the WWI era anti-German sentiments and embargoes. This is the only card I've seen by the Hoover-Watson Printing Company of Indianapolis.
1911 grant. Not known if this is still in use.
Black and White brand card may be a Curt Teich product.
Teich seems to have had some other brand names, including Octochrome, Sky-Tint, Commercialchrome,
and Black and White.
Grant: 1902.
Demolished: 1965, according to the State Library of Indiana.
The system is now known as the Kokomo - Howard County Public Library.
I can't find any significant history on the La Porte County Library web site, but it does look as if the library is still in use. Six branches might be why.
This is a Curt Teich card of the 'American Art' series.
Built in 1919. Lagrange County Public Library also encompasses Shipshewana and Topeka Branch Libraries.
Not only is the Carnegie portion still in use, an addition was made in 1976; and the Library next engulfed the Town Hall and Fire Station, which harbors the Bookmobile.
National Press is more known for the motel postcards it produced in the Midwest than its library postcards. Still, it shows its Prairie architecture well.
We have officially bottomed out on postcard quality here. However, the Whitney Studio does provide a little information about the card:
Established 1910. Bldg. erected 1915. Circulation, 50,000 per year.
The Library's web page is stupendously unhelpful regarding the Carnegie legacy, but at least SHP Leading Design gives us an overview of its 2008 project, which blended the Carnegie building and its two additions with a train depot!
Really, it's nice looking.
Still in use, but the 1905 building was heavily renovated in 1991.
(L) Early E.C. Kropp card, mailed in 1911, showing both the residential neighborhood and the modern streets of the city.
(R) Like most of the Wayne Paper Box and Printing Co's. postcards, the picture
lives up to the Clear View trademark. The card was
mailed in early 1941, apparently from Miss Witt, a sixth grade teacher (probably
in Indianapolis), to one of her
departing students.
This is one of the later Carnegie-funded libraries in the state, built in 1915.
Strangely, the Masons of the area seem to have been involved.
The Big M Masons, that is.
This is another of those Wayne Paper Box and Printing Co. cards. Despite the coarse screening, you might be able to spot two men and a woman at the top of the stairs of the Prairie-influenced brick building.
1907 grant. Addition dates from 1975. Still in use.
Notice the zig-zag trim near the roofline. The brick building appears to have been painted in these cards, which date from 1907/1908, and pre-1907, respectively.
Christmas Eve, 1907 grant.
Tudor style.
This beautiful library building is still in
use.
Wayne Paper Box and Printing Corporation card with an alumina border. Many Midwestern libraries were memorialized by this firm.
1904 - 1941. RIP.
Burned down on March 17, 1941 and
rebuilt in 1942.
Logansport Cass County Library is not the luckiest organization in the library world. In 1924, it also lost its County Book Wagon in a fire.
(L) Isn't the Carnegie building tiny compared to the mighty high school?
(R) Attractive Harry H. Hamm card in the white border style.
Some information from an impressive site, WikiMarion.
1901 grant. The building looks like a 'Mini-Me' for the Indianapolis library. It served other community purposes during its 90 year tenure, including holding a kindergarten. Converted to a museum in 1991.
All three postcards I have seen of this library feature the same angle. The one I am sharing is that by S.H. Knox.
1906 grant. Built with area limestone. Addition in 1990, and renovated in 1996.
Now the
Morgan County Public Library flagship.
Americhrome card mailed in 1912.
Library now known as the Mishawaka-Penn Public Library.
Carnegie building built in 1916; added to as a WPA project in 1937-8; and closed in 1969. Happily, it still stands in the Local Historic District. (It looks like it stands to use a little maintenance, too.)
1914 grant.
Still in use, with an addition. The White River separates Mitchell's library district from Bedford's.
C.T. American Art Black and White brand card was mailed in 1937. Notice the unusual detailing that surrounds the windows, visually tying the two storeys together.
1903 grant. 1954 addition. Replaced in
1991.
Now houses the White County Historical Society.
Very spooky looking building that the foxing spots do nothing to improve. The manufacturer of this card is unknown.
A rosy lil' building, isn't it? The ZIM postcard company had a few cases of the vapors when it came to coloring library buildings.
1902 grant. Replaced in 1986. A 2009 Indiana government file states the Carnegie building now serves as Mt. Vernon's City Hall. If you look closely at the municpal page's header, you can see 'Carnegie Public Library' carved above the entrance.
1901 grant. Now known as Local History and Genealogy at Carnegie.
Muncie, Indiana also had the Hemingray
insulator factory.
(Hemingray Insulators would be a great PC
name for a football team.)
By the way, someone forgot to add
the candy stripes to the awnings. Tsk, tsk.
Card postmarked 1916.
Text blatantly swiped from the Indiana Historical Society website:
New Albany School Board organized a public library on May 8, 1884. This library building, supported with funds from Andrew Carnegie, opened on March 2, 1904 with 11,125 volumes. Building is Neoclassical style, constructed of brick and limestone. Public Library moved to new building 1969. Floyd County Museum opened here 1971. Carnegie building included in Downtown Historic District, listed in National Register of Historic Places 1999. One of 1,679 libraries built in U.S. with funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Indiana built more Carnegie libraries than any other state.
The card of the German card is unevenly divided, but I can't make out the date on the postmark.
1913 grant.
Now known as
New Castle - Henry County Public Library.
It's hard to tell if the current building is the Carnegie building, heavily modified, or an entirely new building.
Harry H. Hamm card on pebbled stock. May have been a Curt Teich product.
1910 Carnegie grant.
Library appears to be in use, but with a significant
addition.
Glossy monochrome card by the B.H. Grimes Company, of Frankfort, mailed in 1914.
Now the Jennings County Public Library.
A 1918 Carnegie grant funded this late building, with throwback Classical Revival Type A architecture. Since 1998, it has served as civic offices. It is planned for renovation and asbestos abatement. This is the first Carnegie building of which I have known to face that particular challenge.
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