Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Arizona
Separated from New Mexico in early 2018.
Douglas
Most of the building is still standing, minus the strange entryway. The Library is housed in a newer building.
​
(L) Image by the Newman Post Card Co. of Los Angeles. It was mailed in 1910.
(R) Also features the "Club Building." It dates to Territorial years.
Copper Queen Library
I was convinced that the caption has the wrong location, as there's a Copper Queen Library in nearby Bisbee which is still extant. The American Library Directory enlightened me by showing a listing for both public librarians. Kate Goodrich was the librarian of the Douglas location.
​
I can't date the card, but it appears to be post-WWII
Globe (Old Dominion Library)
Raised in memoriam to three miners killed in the Interloper shaft mine fire, it was razed due to a 1981 library fire.
​
The image is by G.E. van Wagenen & Co., and printed on an Albertype postcard.
Mesa
I don't believe this Mid-Century Modern building to still be in use.
The card was produced by Petley.
Nogales
I can't tell if this building is still in use. The Library in the City's website shows a Pepto-pink building which seems even wavier than this.
Another Petley card. It was mailed in 1966, using Mexican postage stamps.
Phoenix
Safford
Apparently this was an Odd Fellows' home, and housed the library from 1963 to 1991. The new building is not nearly as distinctive as this Tudor Revival library.
Surprise! It's not a Petley postcard. It was printed in 1967 by F.J. Schaaf from a Franklin E Schaaf photo.
Tombstone
Now for something completely different. Yes, the caboose is part of the Library, now a reading room.
This is a James Kidd continental-sized postcard.
Yuma
Mid-Century Modern building still in use as the Heritage Branch.
(L) Charles P. Kendall photo on a Dexter Press card.
(R) This splendid sunset scene is brought to you by...
Petley Studios.
Who were you thinking?
