Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Florida Public Libraries
Cities M - Z
Masaryktown (T. G. Masaryk Memorial Library)
Founded by Czech immigrants in 1924, this town has lost its agricultural (egg and citrus) industry and is no longer incorporated. Several histories online state that its community center burnt in 1974. Using the address on this postcard (No. 7 N. U.S. 41), the library is no longer extant. I do hope the Czeck and Slovak works were saved.
Oddly, there is another Masaryktown Library, in Ontario, Canada.
Photo on the postcard by MWM likely dates to 1965, despite the 48 star flag.
Melbourne
Mid-Century Modern building, no longer in use.
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'Lusterchrome' postcard by the Tichnor Brothers.
Miami
Miami Woman's Club and Flagler Memorial Library
Amidst the highrises, this 1928 building is still standing.
Miami Memorial Library
(L) Color-Tone postcard in linen finish.
(R) An overhead shot along Biscayne Boulevard showing Hotel Row and the Library.
The Mid-Century Modern building was demolished sometime early in the 21st Century.
Miami Beach
A new library stands at 2100 Collins Avenue, so I assume these buildings were demolished. Both have an interesting feel; both date from the mid-20th Century.
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The postcard was a Scenic Vendors product, printed by DuKane Press.
New Port Richey
Founded in 1919. As this was a replacement building, so has it been replaced.
Postcard mailed in 1973. Its description calls the building 'newly constructed.'
New Smyrna Beach
Either replaced or heavily remodeled.
Curt Teich 'C.T. Art Colortone' linen finish postcard for Walker News.
Orange City (Dickinson Memorial Library)
Still in use. Combined with the park, it was a pretty site.
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(L) Photo postcard, publisher unknown.
(R) "Sky-Tint" postcard made for Asheville Post Card.
Orlando
Albertson Public Library
This is the most documentary of the cards I have for this library. It's a Curt Teich card, supposedly dating from 1922.
The Albertson Public Library was built in 1923. From the way the library's website and the downtown Orlando website are phrased, it looks like this was demolished for the current building.
Orlando Public Library
Brutalist structure which Curt Teich describes on the 1969 chrome postcard:
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UNIQUE ORLANDO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Building is constructed of concrete poured into wooden forms which leave the imprint of their grain in the concrete. The rough concrete finish never needs maintenance care.
Still in use.
Palatka
The attractive building, a weird mashup of Deco and Colonial Revival styles, is now the Arts Council of Greater Palatka.
This is an Auburn Greeting Card, probably from the 1930s. It is uncommon to see eastern subjects featured by the Indiana firm.
Pensacola
Vastly expanded: still in use. Splendid example of Mid-Century Modern architecture, which reminds me of some midwestern Catholic churches and parochial schools.
Dexter Press postcard for Pronto Photos states that it was built in 1957.
St. Augustine
According to the W.J. Harris/Curt Teich postcard at left, ca. 1911, this building dates to the Spanish settlement era, and served as the King's Bakery. It has been replaced as the library, but the new building reflects the old building's structure.
(R) Rogero & Pomar card must be showing the other side of the building.
St. Cloud (Veterans Memorial Library)
St. Petersburg
No Carnegie buildings were harmed in the making of this new central library. The postcard dates to 1964.
The Mid-Century Modern building is still in use.
Sarasota (Chidsey Library)
Probably the most Art Deco library building I've ever seen. Linen finish tends to make library buildings look silly, but these are just right.
It now serves as a museum.
Sebring
Library Hut.
Either replaced, or drastically remodelled.
Curt Teich postcard
Tampa
Dedicated 1968: replaced in the mid-1990s. Although it replaced the Carnegie building, the elder was not demolished. I don't know about this building.
(L) Curt Teich 'Greetings' postcard.
(R) Ted Saylor Photography card.
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Venice
Rather unimaginative building that looks like a post office of the era. It's either replaced or has had multiple additions.
Plastichrome product for Tropical Cards.
Vero
A rickety library is better than none at all.
Vero Beach's library is part of the Indian River County Library System.
The postcard is by Commercialchrome.
Vero Beach (Indian River County Library)
This building, as seen on a 1968 Curt Teich postcard, has been replaced. I don't know its fate. Lovely example of Mid-Century Modern Architecture.
West Palm Beach
(L) E.C. Kropp postcard.
(R) Curt Teich card, ca. 1924.
Let us now resume Floridian beauty.
This building seems to have been in use from 1924 to 1962. It memorialized those lost in WW I. It was replaced by a Norman Robson-designed building that met with no love, was remodelled, then replaced by a beautiful facility.
Winter Park
Which iteration of the Winter Park Library this building is, is uncertain to me. A message on the L.L. Cook card states:
This is where I work there are 2 rooms, porch & toilet in a separate wing to rear--Faces west The Jrdlept is here but I work at center desk just inside door part time.
Combining the message with the Library history makes me think it's the 1924 configuration, but the postcard is newer. In 1956, a children's wing, in cement block, was built. The card likely dates to the early 1950s.