Non-Carnegie Indiana Libraries

Cret Building

Yes, there are some that were not funded from Carnegie grants.

Some of the most famous benefactors include Charles Eckhart and James Whitcomb Riley.




 Anderson

Architect's rendering of Anderson PL

The Anderson saga continued.

After its exodus to a Sears, Roebuck store, Anderson decided to build a new building in 1987. According to the card, it's located at 12th and Main Streets.

This is clearly an architect's rendering, yet there's a photo attribution to David L. Dailey.



 Auburn (Eckhart Public Library)

Charles Eckhart actually had a Carnegie contract cancelled in 1909 so that his vision of an Arts & Crafts public library would be built instead. The 1911 library was a Patton & Miller design, modeled after the Linton, Indiana building. Unfortunately, I don't have a card of that library.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 and carefully expanded in 1996. The library's website, from whence I obtained my information, shows the new building.

This card was published locally by the Auburn Post Card Mfg. Co., and has an unevenly divided back. Although it was never stamped or cancelled, it most likely dates from 1911.

Two more library cards show views of the Eckhart Public Library.

(L) Card from the Sturgis News Agency, possibly an MWM product.
(R) Tinted sky card from E.C. Kropp.

Recently I visited this building, and its interesting, rear addition is very carefully attuned to the original library architecture. Surrounding it is a charming garden.



 Aurora


Still in use. Ms. Georgianna Sutton donated the library in 1914. Its design is similar to many of the later, larger Carnegie buildings.

This is another (E-352) 'Clear View' card, produced in Fort Wayne by the Wayne Paper Box & Prtg. Corp.

You could actually buy an afghan with Aurora's historic sites illustrated, including the public library.




 Columbia City (Peabody Free Library)


The Peabody Free Library was founded in 1901. This building was built in 1917, received an addition in 1970, and replaced in 1999.

The card is a Commercialchrome brand.




 Evansville: Evansville/Vanderburgh County Library; Willard Library

Willard Library (left) was built in 1885, and is the oldest library building in Indiana. The main library (right) was built in 1930.
Evansville apparently has the best of all worlds with respect to libraries. The East Side branch, one of two built from a 1911 grant, and remodeled in the early 1970s. The west side had a Carnegie building that can be seen on an Evansville postcard site which can be reached through the library site under 'Evansville Postcards.' The Deco building is the Evansville/Vanderburgh County library today. And the Willard Library, an impressive Victorian Gothic edifice, is reputedly haunted. It certainly looks as if it could have been built for the Addams family.

Evansville/Vanderburgh Library history page.

 Indianapolis

Currently the system is known as the Indianapolis - Marion County Public Library.

Plus glitter Minus glitter Corner view

I don't know if this building dates back as far as the 1873 founding.

Central Library (Cret Building)

James Whitcomb Riley, perhaps my absolutely least favorite poet of all time, did do something redeeming in 1917: donating the land that the Central Library stands upon. It is also known as the Cret Building, after its architect.
According to the card:

THE CENTRAL LIBRARY and 21 branches make 675,000 volumes available to all parts of Indianapolis, one of the foremost cities in book circulation and registered borrowers.

It has recently been extensively renovated.

(L) 1951 Curt Teich linen finish card.
(R) This card comes from the Craft Greeting Card Co. of Indianapolis.

 Lafayette (A.A. Wells Memorial Library)

Two similar views of the second Lafayette library building. The righthand card was produced by Kimmel & Herbert.

Known as the Reynolds home, this building served as the library from 1901 to 1927.





1927 building in use as the Tippecanoe Arts Foundation.

The library is now known as the Tippecanoe County Public Library. The current building was opened in 1989. Its branch library is also part of the Ivy Tech campus. I'd like to see this combination.




 Logansport

(L) Linen finish card.
(R) Chrome Dexter Press card with commentary:
Original building erected 1903. Destroyed by fire in 1941 and rebuilt in 1942. Building houses over 123,000 volumes.

The 1903 building came from a Carnegie grant.




 Mentone (Bell Memorial Public Library)


Mentone was another city which decided against a Carnegie grant. This, the second iteration, was in use from 1936 to 1960.

Mentone's library was named for the parents of aerospace pioneer Lawrence D. Bell, per the postcard commissioned by the Mentone Reading Club.


 Michigan City


Opened in 1897
Replaced by a very odd, controversial modern building, designed by Helmut Jahn, in 1977.

(L) IP & N Co. postcard, mailed in 1910.
(R) This is a Rotograph card, exquisitely handcolored, and mailed in 1907, shortly after the evenly divided card back was adopted.


 Mishawaka


Replaced a Carnegie building in 1969.

This Henry McGrew chrome postcard was issued by Mishawaka Federal Savings and Loan Association.

Notice the tandem bicycle near the entrance.


 New Harmony (Murphy Library)


Attribution from card caption: possibly incorrect.

 Richmond (Morrison and Reeves Library)

Founded in 1864. The cards show the renovated and expanded building! It even had Tiffany windows!

At first, when you look at the library's website, you think this building is still in use.
Gleefully, you click through to their local history pages. Later you realize that it was recently demolished. Judging from their 'Then and Now' series lead photo, it happened significantly later than its 1975 replacement.

They salvaged the good bits, however, including the Tiffany windows.


 Rushville

This Bedford limestone building is a legacy of the Depression years, built 1931. It's still in use, and looks as if it's never undergone any exterior renovation, That's because they excavated during the 1988-1989 renovation.
I rather like the attitude of Rushville!

The card is, again, a Curt Teich product and appears to be a newer iteration of the Blue Sky series.



 South Bend


This building was also known as 'The Castle.'

It was built in 1895-6, and demolished in 1958.
Replacement: the Mrs. Betty Ruth Spiro Memorial Library, shown below right.
Visit the link for more photos and another postcard.

Spiro Public Library of South Bend

This is the good variety of mid-century architecture. Notice the bas-reliefs of books, a lamp of wisdom, and a printing press. This library was named for benefactor Mrs. Betty Ruth Spiro, and opened in 1960. In turn, it was replaced in the early 1990s. I am unaware of its fate.

The rounded corner Dexter Press - Penrod Studio card seems to date from very soon after opening.



Terre Haute (Emeline Fairbanks Memorial Library)

Superceded by the Vigo County District Library.

This library has a weird history. At first it was under the jurisdiction of the Terre Haute school system.
This building was built in 1906 at 222 N. 7th Street, by the Modern Construction Company of Terre Haute to the Beaux Arts design of W.H. Floyd and C.E. Scott. Indiana State University acquired the building from the city in 1979 and converted it into an art building in 1984.

The building's full history is on the ISU website.

(L, above) S.H. Knox postcard, never mailed.
(R, above) Bundy postcard, mailed in 1907.
(L, below) Second Bundy postcard, mailed in 1914.
(R, below) E.C. Kropp postcard with white border.




Versailles

Tyson Library, with what appears to be a tin roof, and canna lilies out front.

This card seems to be a little bit of a trademark infringement on Curt Teich.
Teich had their 'Blue Sky' series: here, above the words 'Post Card' appears a small 'Blue Sky.' It was produced by the Eagle Post Card View Co. of New York; published by Spencer's Drug Store of Versailles; and mailed in 1946.


© 2007 - 2012 Judy Aulik
Separated from Indiana's Carnegie Libraries on 06 December 2007.
Updated 05 February 2012.

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