Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Most of my information comes from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport's Public Libraries page.
Aylmer
1911 building superseded by the Old Town Hall in 1979, ostensibly due to size constraints.
Part of the Elgin County library system.
Photo postcard may date to the 1930s.
Surprisingly, Aylmer has a sizable Amish population.
Berlin, now Kitchener
(L) F.J. Weaver card, published in Berlin ... Germany.
(R) Also by F.J. Weaver, this divided back card was mailed in 1906. It truly is one of my favorites, down to its newspaper poles.
At the time these cards were published, the stacks were closed and the minds were open. Berlin was renamed in the anti-German sentiments of WWI.
The Carnegie grant was made in 1902, and the rather residential looking building was designed by A.H. Crocker. It was demolished around 1962.
Brantford
Built in 1904, this Carnegie building has the unusual
distinction of becoming an instructional building of Wilfrid Laurier University. (Wikipedia claims it was demolished.)
The Valentine & Sons' card was printed in the USA and mailed in 1924.
Brockville
1903 grant. B. Dillon was its architect, and the Library opened in 1904.
Still in use.
I can't read either postmark, but there is a King Edward VII stamp, so that's a small clue. The card was printed in Germany. I like the kids socially distancing on the kerb.
Chatham
1902 grant. Reminiscent of US ideas, this T.J. Wilson building was demolished by 1983.
(L) Several people gather, shown on this Warwick & Rutter postcard.
(R) Pretty, arty view by The Post Card & Greeting Card Co., Ltd., of Toronto.
Fort Francis
1915 Carnegie grant: resembles the Classical Revival Type A buildings found in the USA.
No longer in use.
Photo postcard printed by Lovelady Studios of Port Arthur and Fort Williams of Ontario, another city (Thunder Bay) of merged communities.
Galt, now Cambridge
Several communities now comprise Cambridge.
The Galt Carnegie grant came in 1902, and the building is no longer extant, possibly due to the 1948 flood. Its architect was Fred Mellish.
The Warwick Bros. & Rutter postcard was mailed in 1909.
Gravenhurst
Both buildings still extant, but the ca 1923 Carnegie library now serves as the Carnegie Arts Centre.
This Photogelatine Engraving Co. card got even worse with random staining. It was mailed in 1951.
Guelph
An unusual neoclassical building, built in 1905, and still in use. It was designed by W. Frye Colwill. Guelph has seven branch libraries.
The German postcard was mailed in 1907, and shows its age badly.
Hamilton
1909 grant. Its architect was A.W. Peene. (another source gives William Austin Mahoney) Now serves as the Unified Family Courthouse, I am informed.
Valentine-Black card, printed in Great Britain.
Ingersoll
Narrowly missed being demolished after it was replaced in 2018, after 110 years in service. Today it serves as an events venue. Ingersoll is served by the Oxford County Library system.
The postcard was printed by the Photogelatine Engraving Co., and was never mailed.
Midland
Heliotype brand card mailed in 1936 to Wisconsin.
1910 grant: opened 1915. In 1967, the library moved from the Carnegie building into an older, Romanesque building, formerly used as a Customs Office, among other govermental functions.
The Carnegie building is now in use as a restaurant, of all the unusual things.
Ottawa
Currently 33 branches and 2 bookmobiles comprise the Capital City's public library system.
(L) Valentine & Sons' cards were produced for Canada as well as the US. No legible postmark.
(R) Tinted card bearing an Edward VII stamp on the photo side was mailed to the United States in 1911.
1901 grant. Its architect was E.L. Horwood.
Demolished.