This Post Card to you dear friend
In place of a letter I send
What you may like better,
a fat newsy letter
To write before long I intend.
Much information comes from a pleasant discovery, Carnegie Libraries in Michigan. Other sources include various Waymarking.com pages and, of course, Bobinski's 1969 Carnegie Libraries.
Only Carnegie funded libraries are featured on this page. Non-Carnegie buildings are on the Michigan Libraries page.
1904 grant. Cornerstone laid in 1907. Opened in 1908. Closed in 1978.
Since 1980, in use as the
Lenawee Historical Society Museum.
(How I adore the work of the members of Waymarking.com, whose site delivered this information.)
The poetry card above also features the Adrian Carnegie Library.
1913 Carnegie grant. 1986 expansion. Info courtesy of the Allegan District Library's web site.
Picture two tones of brown brick on this rich-looking building, with a river rock foundation. The C.R. Childs' card lacks only color.
1902 grant, demolished since.
It may be just as well. If you read the history of the library
on its
web site, you'll learn that its precursor went up in flames. This building
was hit by a car twice, one ending up in its childrens' room. (I don't
think the car on the card (L) was it.)
Finally, as the new library was being built in the 1960s, the old building's
wall collapsed.
Both these cards have a certain informality about them, although the ladies in pink do look as if they're wondering where the bride went.
1916 grant. RPPC card mailed in 1948.
1903 building now serves as the Wexford Historical Museum.
The library is now known as the Cadillac Wexford County Public Library, and
even has 4 branches, small they may be.
Overall, the color Van Vranken German card is rather, ahem, ugly. But it does have some neat details such as a tiny red striped drape inside the window (or perhaps a flag?), and a lovely stained glass inset over the entrance door.
1907 grant. The card has a slight green tint in reality.
1902 grant. Positively exuberant masonery, both real and imagined.
The building now serves as a law office. The replacement library is huge!
1908 grant. Replaced with an attractive brick building that looks like a Carnegie building for the new millennium.
Today the Carnegie building also serves as office space, and may become a cultural center.
The linen finish card is one of E.C. Kropp's finest.
The Detroit libraries (main library and six branches) received $750,000 of Carnegie monies.
Initially the powers that be turned down the 'tainted' money.
I'm curious as to how the rest was spent.
The lefthand card also features the Belcrest Apts. The GM Office Building looms in its background.
Last hurrah for the Motor City?
A 1964 'Hiawatha Card of Detroit,' by Dexter Press, shows an addition and
an impressive entryway. According to its reverse,
Detroit Main Library, Cass Avenue Entrance
(between W. Kirby and Putnam)
Detroit, Michigan
The Detroit Public Library, located in the Cultural Center, Provides comprehensive research and information services for individuals, business, industry, and labor in the Metropolitan Area. The new entrance features a brilliantly colored glass mosaic mural by Millard Sheets.
I may as well get the black border ready. This lovely Beaux Arts building is abandoned!
What a shame.
When I saw the boarded up entrance on a Flickr photo, my reaction was incredibly angry.
Then I learned that the 1912 George V.N. Lothrop branch is also abandoned.
Early 1903 grant.
A city subscription library predated the public library.
It's still in use, with a very
odd front.
Early E.C. Kropp postcard, never mailed.
Built in 1903. (No, not every Michigan Carnegie library was
built in this year.) Replaced in 1992, but I have no information as
to the current status of the Carnegie building.
Part of the
current building
actually looks like it's the Carnegie building, sans dome.
The card was made for F. S. B., whoever that was. It was mailed in 1920.
Late 1902 grant. Demolished sometime since then, probably in practice for the death of the auto industry.
(L) Depressingly bare trees in front of a grey library.
(R) Note the hitching posts across the street from the library building.
Why yes, I did see 'Roger & Me.' What made you ask?
Two views of an interesting library building. At first I thought the photo card was of the Duluth library.
Grant from 1902. The rest of the library's history is on its website.
Rather unattractive building resulting from a 1903 grant.
Unusual 1901 Carnegie building, now serving as the Menominee Range Historical Museum.
I wonder if Andrew got a little hot under the celluloid
collar at the frivolity of both a balcony AND a porch.
Looking at this with modern eyes, my guess is that the back wing was the childrens'
department.
1900 Carnegie grant. Building was built in 1901, and is the oldest continually operating Carnegie Library in Michigan.
(L) Note the cannon near the corner. Return your books promptly
on or before their due date.
E.C. Kropp card, never mailed.
(R) Earlier C.E. Wheelock card.
1901 grant.
1903 card, published by Rotograph and printed in Germany.
The telephone/telegraph poles are absolutely festooned with wires
and insulators. The store has a Quaker Oats sign on its side wall. The
library building bears a strong resemblance to the endangered,
abandoned, Waukegan library building.
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| A very early Curt Teich 'C.T. Photochrom'. | An S.H. Knox card with unevenly divided back. | A Hugh C. Leighton card, mailed 1909. |
1901 grant.
The library building is still in use as the centerpiece of the Jackson District Library.
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| S.H. Knox card, printed in Germany | Luxatone card, from Chicago | Harry H. Hamm card |
1902 grant. Building now is part of the Lansing Community College, and houses the Office for Business Program. Read the PR release for a description of the renovation. Said description called it an 1898 building, so read advisedly.
Replaced by a tatted building.
1903 Carnegie building which is still in use. This, and a branch in Scottville, comprise the Mason County District Library.
Both cards are by E.C. Kropp. The lefthand one dates from 1907 and was mailed in 1909. The righthand card was mailed in 1927, but looks a few years older. I don't think library cards were best-sellers in vacation spots.
(L) Can you say chiaroscuro?
This is another one of those early glossy cards that
has no publisher's information. It's almost as vexing as library web sites without
history.
(R) 1945 Curt Teich postcard that looks like it features a totally different library.
1902 Carnegie grant, building still in use.
1905 grant. The building's centenary was November 25, 2006. It's still in use as is, with perhaps a jazzy coat of red paint on the brick.
I assumed the state of the brick was due to H.L. McClellan, publisher, but maybe not. The card was mailled in 1911.
1902 grant. In use as an art center.
The library has an excellent, legible web page with an amazing local history page.
Plan similar to that of Iron Mountain's library, but the children are
tucked away in the basement.
The Carnegie Public Library was donated as a gift to the city and opened in 1904. One side of the building is almost covered by artistically climbing ivy vines. It is a landmark and a monument to Niles' interest in arts and science.
Building now belongs to the Chamber of Commerce and houses its Council of Tourism.
C.T. American Art Colored card published by Owosso News Agency of Owosso, Mich. Never postally used, but the number 65440 is typed in the stamp box.
Now known as the Shiawasse District Library, the 1913 building is still in use and augmented by a branch.
In use 1904-1967.
What an amazing dedication this Patton and Miller Carnegie building had! Melvil Dewey spoke at its dedication. The building is now the Port Huron Museum of Arts and History, and needed a 1988 addition to continue in that role.
1905 grant, still in use.
This is another of those 'pseudo-Blue Sky' postcards that I believe might come from C.U. Williams of Bloomington (IL). Isn't the building quaint? However, the date over the entrance looks more like 1903. Hmm.
The library's web site has a lovely tour of the building.
More libraries should have a similar feature.
Bonus: it features a floor plan.
Warning: it requires QuickTime.
1901 grant, opened 1905, replaced 1975 by the
Bayliss Public Library.
Now serves as the Intermediate School District offices.
Somewhat plain building featured on a Hugh C. Leighton card, from a Young Lord, & Rhoades photo. Mailed 1912, unevenly divided back.
Late 1904 grant. Unevenly divided card mailed in 1913. Over the door it states 'Open to all.' But beware the cannon. Now serves as an art center.
Late 1902 grant: replaced and in use as a law office.
It's interesting to see on these pages the various ways Carnegie library builders handled corner lots. West of the Mississippi, the building boldly extended as close as possible to the lot limit. The eastern libraries were a little more genteel. Notice the depth of the entryway that comfortably accomodated a (genteel) crowd.
Burkhart Brothers card, locally published.
1907 grant. Demolished. The current building is a touch unexciting.
(L) Tinted card from 'White Border' era.
(R) C.U. Williams 'Photoette' card with blue sky tinting.
Late 1902 grant: replaced, and in use as a museum.
(L) Rotograph card.
(R) S.H. Knox card.
The difference in the tinting between these cards is quite striking.
© 2007 - 2009 Judy Aulik
Uploaded 29 April 2007.
Divided 10 June 2009.
Updated 15 July 2009.
Michigan non-Carnegie buildings are on their own page.