Divided from Northern New England in January 2008.
The libraries of New England have their own appeal. Many, by reason of their architecture, are also found on other pages.
In March, 2007, I discovered the New England Carnegies page. For the libraries I have tagged as Carnegie libraries, Corinne H. Smith's web page is the reference.
Published by the Leighton and Valentine Co. of New York, with quality similar to the German imports.
Curt Teich 'Photo-Finish' card published in 1941.
Built after a 1903 Carnegie grant. Remodeled in 2005. Service hours cut back to a tragic minimum in 2006. The library's web page is part of the city's website.
Visit the New England Carnegies site for another postcard, and a bare bones chronology.
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The sign over the door reads 'Boston Public Library
Codman Square Reading Room.'
The caption reads 'Public
Library and Reading Room, Dorchester, Mass.'
The building
looks to be Dutch Revival, but has Tudor and Romanesque touches.
Monochrome German cards are scarce: this was produced for
the Rotograph Co. of New York City.
Definitively Italianate building. I wonder if there was a courtyard?
Tudor/Stone masonery
River rock, English architecture, and a slight touch of Romanesque
combine to yield a pleasing structure.
Although this is an early card, electric
street lights are evident in the photo.
New building imminent.
This card was an ALA souvenir from May, 1914, touting the Snead Standard Stack. Its manufacturer was Snead and Company Iron Works of Jersey City, NJ, according to the 'Descriptive Catalog of the American Library Association Exhibit of Labor-Saving Devices.' NYPL gives a nifty picture of a Snead stack.
The library has a very multi-culturally friendly
site and one of the most detailed
histories I've ever
seen.
Salient points include that the pictured 1910 building is the second library;
its first renovation was in 1970; and the current renovation occurred in 2003.
(L) Interior view. Plaque above desk reads:
This building was built by Marshall Field in memory of his father and mother. John Field and Florida (blurred) Field Anno Domini 1900.
Posh. Its dedication in 1901 was even covered by the New York Times.
(R) Small Federal-style building with prominent ribs or seams on its dome.
Both cards were published by Florence R. Howland.
German treatment of the Field Memorial Library. Base picture was either
taken during a blight or during the winter.
Will the wonders of handcoloring never cease?
The library is now part of the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System.
Interesting building in a city with an interesting cultural history.
Card dated Oct. 16, 1908.
Millicent's a grand olde (Romanesque) dame on this Hugh C. Leighton card.
'The People's University,' according to this 1966 Yankee Colour Card,
as well as the carving beneath the roof line.
Possibly built of pink granite.
Well, pink would be hep with those '50s cars on the street.
Built in 1901.
The library's
history page
discusses a dome, which is not visible on this card. Wings were added in 1966-8,
another addition was built in 1978, and a major renovation was completed in 2008.
The picture came from Gray of Falmouth, and the card was distributed by the New Bedford News Co. Its linen finish and feel are characteristic of cards from MWM, or possibly, Colourpicture.
This is another one of those libraries that claim to be 'America's first public library.' 1790 is pretty doggone early, though.
Imposing Greek Revival building, built in 1904 and maintained from the Ray Memorial Fund by the Franklin Library Association until 1981. After the Town of Franklin took over, the building was restored between 1987 and 1989, and a children's wing added.
According to the library's history page, the main house was built in 1797 and purchased by the town in 1907. It was renovated and the wings rebuilt. The library opened in 1909, and is still in use.
This is a Curt Teich 'C.T. American Art' card printed for Chas W. Hughes.
It purports to be 'Star Quality.'
Published by G.M. Solomon of Hinsdale: made in Germany.
Strange blend of Tudor and Romanesque architecture.
According to the inscription over the portico, this library was built in 1890. I like its rather simple (yet Classical) design.
(L) This Curt Teich card was mailed in 1920. Curt's colorists decided it was pink.
(R) At a later date, his colorists decided it was yellow. Somehow I doubt they
repainted the building.
I have a much newer Dexter Press chrome card (not shown) in which the building is grey, with the red roof. More boring, but probably accurate.
What a pair!
The front, Cape Cod style building is the Hyannis Free Public Library, according to the sign.
The rear building is the Engleton Library, according to its front.
I don't know which is the Reading Room that the small sign in the grass touts.
Today the library is painted brown, but the shutters remain green.
Definitive Romanesque structure.
Late 1903 grant. According to the library's
history page, it's the last remaining
Carnegie building in the Berkshires. How many there were to begin with, I know not.
This looks to be the 'standard plan,' but the dome is more like a New England cupola.
An interesting picture on the library's site is a shot of the marble quarry that furnished both the
original marble and the stone for the 1977 addition.
The Curt Teich card dates from 1928, and was mailed in 1943.
Memorial Hall, City Library, Early C.T. American Art card, mailed in 1920.
I'm uncertain whether to include this library with Boston or not.
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| Early chrome card, publisher unknown. | S. Langsdorf card in poor condition, printed in Germany. | Souvenir Post Card, published in New York. |
Lynn received Carnegie funds in 1915, but they are not mentioned on the library's web site.
I believe the branches that were built from these monies have been sold.
Sic transit gloria mundi.
Founded in 1879: building still in use.
The card has a textured surface, not a linen finish.
It was produced in Germany for the Hugh C. Leighton
Company of Portland, Maine.
Rare clapboard library building which looks to be a definitive firetrap.
This library has the oddest
story I've ever
read. It was built in 1897, with a stage for benefit plays. Spiritualist meetings could
be held free. however. Because of the stage, it became the parish hall for the
North Community Church.
The current building is a result of a 1950 swap, and is kept in service by a
consignment shop. The library carries mainly fiction today and prides itself on offering
no reference service. Most functions are carried out by a volunteer force.
Someone considered the war memorial more exciting than the library, but this card nicely
shows what city streets lined with elms looked like. Anyone
born after 1960 or so missed this.
For those in the Midwest whose city replaced the elms with ash trees (hello there, Madison),
you're going to get a feeling for what the devastation of Dutch Elm disease wrought
when the ash borer hits your city.
Do you notice the gardener in the orange shirt?
(L) White border card shows a rather regal building.
(R) Pioneer card in remarkable condition.
Both cards show a building in back that looks like a school building.
Interesting mix of Italianate, Mediterranean, and Romanesque style.
Card has a divided back, and was published by the Metropolitan News Co. of Boston.
Or by W.K. Ephlin.
It appears to be still in use, without any external modification.
Perhaps the Haston Public Library is the definitive Romanesque structure instead.
Norwood, aka South Dedham, had a lending library as early as 1790.
This building is not it.
The 1898
building
was added on in 1928 and 1965, then renovated in 2001.
The library's well-designed website calls the facility Romanesque. Eh, I'm not so sure.
What a beautiful building!
Built in 1872, it is also known as the Berkshire Athenaeum,
and has also served as a museum. The new library is next door.
Designed by H.H. Richardson himself.
Built in 1882; Coletti addition, 1938; renovated 2001.
You can see touches of English Tudor in the eyebrow windows, and precursors of Prairie Style in
the windows that are snugged up to the roofline.
(R) Late Tichnor Bros. 'Lusterchrome' card mailed 1967. The Coletti addition is visible off the right side of the library.
An imposing structure built in 1884.
Probably demolished.
Gothic beyond all comprehension. The woman on the sidewalk is, appropriately, dressed in black.
This 1871 building was replaced by a Carnegie building in 1912, according to the library's website.
I don't know why it took me so long to find cards of the main Carnegie building.
Suddenly I see them at just about every flea market and postcard show I attend.
(L) End view also features a church steeple. The early linen card was mailed in 1937, but the cars
suggest an earlier date.
(R) 1943 Curt Teich card shows a green roof and some rather deformed trees.
Another Springfield Carnegie building, next to Sumner Park. The righthand card is an 'Americhrome' product. If you look closely, you will see the iron gate obstructing the doorway.
An attractive linen-finish card of a single storey stone library.
This is an American Art postcard, not to be confused with Curt Teich's 'C.T. American Art' line.
Two publishers. One photo. The lefthand card is from A.P. Lundberg, the righthand, by A.C. Bosselman. Both were printed in Germany.
The building is either demolished or remodeled into oblivion. Actually, I'm not 100 percent certain which building was the library. Either is an appropriate size.
Poor little Rhode Island. No Carnegie libraries at all, while Oklahoma and Arizona--and even Hawaii!--got their funding while still U.S. Territories.
Divided back card with a number, P-64466, in the lower left corner.
According to its website, Providence Public Library is a non-profit corporation founded in 1875. I would surmise that this building dates from then, but I haven't been able to confirm this as of early 2006.
It's not obvious from the website whether this facility is still in use, either.
(L) Detailed view of entry. Unevenly divided back card by A.C.
Bosselman of New York, sent 1911.
(R) Overall view of library on a subtly colored linen-
finish card.
Card distributed by the Boston Dry Goods Co. of Danielson.
Mailed September 12, 1917.
One of the earliest Carnegie Libraries,
from a 1897 grant, according to the library's
history page.
It was replaced in 1960. A Saks Fifth Avenue store stands on its former land. Totally dwarfing the Carnegie contribution
is the $25,000,000 bequest by Clementine Lockwood Peterson,
which was the largest private gift ever to have been donated to
a public library. It went to an amazing 1992 wing on the current building.
Can you top this?
Nice early U.S. card printed by TB of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and published by J. Ruben out of Newburgh, N.Y.
What a lovely card. (1905, Rotograph Co.) The corner effects are an artifact from mounting corners.
Carnegie grant, 1913.
Another card that was sent to noted Grand Rapids, Michigan, librarian Helen Barstow. The sender chose an early chrome card by Joseph Gans shortly after the building was built.
The library is still in use. Of the 4 branches, the Fair Haven looks as if it might also be a Carnegie building.
(L) W.S. Calvert published this card, which appears to date from
the mid-1910s.
(R) This gorgeous card was another Rotograph product.
The perspective is nearly identical.
1894 Italian Renaissance building demolished in 1968.
Library currently
serving an urban, poorer base. Its website
is one of the truly bilingual ones I've found.
© 2003-2009 Judy Aulik
Uploaded 05 December 2006.
Last updated 07 September 2009.
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Northern New England: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont