Divided from Other Carnegie Libraries in April, 2010.
There were 35 Carnegie buildings. Obviously I have a ways to go. One history source, written in 1959, is located on the Colorado Department of Education site.
Built in 1906. Nearly abandoned in 1961. Restored in 1981 and now in use as the Carnegie Branch Library.
Patterned after a Greek temple.
Williamson-Haffner postcard that may date from the era of the Great War.
The Library itself was founded in 1886.
From a 1901 Carnegie grant, this building was begun in 1902, and
opened in 1903. Still in use.
The early photo card, produced by Commercial Studio in Lamar, was mailed in 1910.
Rip-off 'Blue sky' card by H.H.T.Co. This card seems to be one of the most plentiful in the postcard collecting universe.
1903 Carnegie grant. Building completed in 1905. 2002 renovation.
Library part of the
Pikes Peak Library District. It contains another Carnegie building, the West End Carnegie Library.
1903 grants: opened 1910. Replaced in 1956.
Now serves as
Denver's Civic Center.
Searching 'Denver: The City Beautiful' delivers many web sites showing the beautiful, albeit a bit
antiquated, downtown.
Eight other branches received Carnegie monies.
(L) Day.
(R) Night.
(L) Public Library and North Section of the Civic Center, Denver Colorado
City and County Building in Background.
Corinthian style building. About ten years ago, I visited Denver and didn't realize that this building had been the library. I never saw any of the branches, either.
Now the Poudre River Public Library District Library. The Carnegie building has been replaced, sometime after 1953.
Sepia-tinted postcard mailed in 1912.
An early Christmas present grant (December 21, 1899). Replaced in 1938. These Coloradians were not wild about Andy. Why Carnegie objected to the foundation (and even the porch), heaven only knows. Did the man expect the library to levitate? The library is now part of the Mesa County Libraries: the building probably demolished.
(L) According to the Museum of Western Colorado's site, the colors on this unattributed card are accurate.
(R) Sedate card, mailed in 1905.
Carnegie grant, 1906; Building built, 1908. The new
building was supposed to open in 2004 according to this
site, but it hasn't been
updated in ages.
This is the first library website I've seen that combines the county
public and the community college's libraries' website. Interesting sharing
of resources.
Now the Bemis Public Library.
The Carnegie building resembled a railroad station, which is interesting because a grant from the Santa Fe railroad began the library collection in 1892. The Carnegie library opened in 1917 and was replaced in 1962.
The photo post card also captures a bent light pole.
1907 grant.
A remarkably plain corner building, this may have been organized with the uncommon fan stack configuration.
(L) Another sepia tinted Williamson-Haffner card.
(R) Curt Teich Doubletone card. This uncommon postcard line seems to have been competitive with
the beautiful Rotograph cards.
Actually, Manitou Springs.
Built 1910: still in use, essentially as is.
Fabulous
history
page. Did you know that the library is also known for its doll collection?
Very attractive H.H.T. Co. card.
1902 grant.
Tentatively thought to have been demolished.
(L) Curt Teich postcard, mailed 1921.
(R) Duplicate of previous card, but in better condition. Annotated, but never mailed. In the lower left of the card, there is a lawn sprinkler. I don't doubt its necessity in Pueblo, but am surprised at its early use.
1907 grant.
Replaced fairly recently.
Postcard probably was published by C.U. Williams of Bloomington, IL. Notice the fallen leaves, and the retouched buds. One would think that there would have to be better publishers in Colorado.
1903 grant.
Still in use with a
1995 addition for a history room.
The card was produced for the S.H. Kress chain, often confused with S.S. Kresge.
Lovely view on an evenly divided card postmarked 1910.
Aka. Johnson County Library. 1909 grant. Replaced in 1987.
The building in the back is the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum,
which incorporated the library building in 1989.
I bet you think Jim Gatchell was some famous cowboy, or even a rodeo star, right?
Try again. He was a druggist, and friend of the Sioux.
1899 grant. 1902 building. Replaced in 1969, then
demolished.
Sigh.
(L) 'On Union Pacific System' caption on Curt Teich/Barkalow Bros. Publishing (Omaha)
'C.T. American Art' postcard.
(R) High School and the $50,000 Carnegie Library. The library is in the background.
Late Carnegie building in two aspects: Built in 1916, demolished for its replacement in 1965.
Sepia tinted card printed on buff paper by the Bloom Brothers of Minneapolis, and distributed by the Harding Curio and Drug Co.
Built in 1907 and now part of the Fremont County Library System. Surprisingly, the Carnegie building is in the middle of its second renovation.
1914 Curt Teich 'Colorchrom' card. More of an 'Offcolorchrom,' in my opinion. On the library's history page (unfortunately, no longer online), it's much more ochre.
1911 grant. Awkward renovation as seen on the library's website, 2005 edition.
1914 card from Curt Teich's 'Doublechrom' series. No idea here why Doublechrom cards are such special beasts. They do scan nicely. Note the car with whitewalls sinking into the mud of the street.
1904 grant. Apparently replaced some time after 1963. I hope it's still standing, but I don't think it is.
Card published by Herbert Coffeen, who appears to have been a paragon of good taste. Did he have this printed in Germany?
Salute to bilateral symmetry.
1916 grant. One of the last Carnegie buildings, and one with a far more interesting
founding librarian,
Mabel Wilkinson,
than library structure.
I believe that the Carnegie building is buried somewhere in the picture on the
Platte County Public Library System web site opening page.
Not sure if it's a Carnegie public library? Visit my postcards of unusual and large public libraries.
Drop that mouse and visit your public library.
(Or, if you're viewing this in the library,
set the mouse down carefully.) All the following resources were found at a local
library.
Bial, Raymond and Linda LaPuma. 1991. The Carnegie Library in Illinois.
(With Photography
by Raymond Bial.)
Bobinski, George S. 1969. Carnegie Libraries: Their History and Impact
on American Public Library Development.
Dickson, Paul. 1986. The Library in America: A Celebration in Words and Pictures.
Frye, Lonn. 1992. Carnegie Libraries: Restoration and Expansion.
Krass, Peter. 2002. Carnegie.
Van Slyck, Abigail. 1995. Free to All: Carnegie Libraries and the American Culture,
1890-1920.
© 2003 - 2011 Judy Aulik
Updated: 26 March 2011.
Home