Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Massachusetts
Cities H-K
Hanover (John Curtis Library)
The photo was taken sometime in 1907, during the Library's construction, as a ladder can be seen in the righthand window.
Hapgood & Frost, MIT graduates, were its architects. It was carefully expanded in 1968 and 2002.
The much appreciated gift postcard was never mailed in its time.
Hardwick (Paige Memorial Library)
A total architectural mashup, dating from 1892. Still in use.
Card mailed in 1906.
Harvard
This building has both Gothic and Romanesque touches. It's apparently still in use, with copious additions.
The image was photographed by Bagster, and the card published by Arthur T. West.
Haverhill
Mailed in 1914, this is a Leighton & Valentine card.
Replaced. This was a delightful building: I hope that it's been repurposed.
Hingham Center
This was the second Hingham Public Library. Of wooden construction, it was built in 1880 and replaced in 1966.
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The Miller Private Mailing Card was sent in 1906.
Holyoke
(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.
Despite the fact the Holyoke Public Library Corporation predated the city's incorporation date, Holyoke Public Library has had some major financial struggles in the last 30 years. The recent fiscal improvements allowed a huge renovation in 2011-13.
According to the Library's web site, the building was built between 1897 and 1902. Little known fact: J.P. Morgan chipped in ten grand.
I like its rather simple (yet Classical) design. I hope that the huge new wing was tacked onto the back.
I have a much newer Dexter Press chrome card (not shown) in which the building is grey, with the red roof. More boring, but more accurate.
Hopedale (Bancroft Memorial Library)
This building has both Gothic and Romanesque touches. The town website shows enough interior views that I can conclude that the building pictured is still in use.
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(L) The Robbins Bros. card informs us that the sculpture is the Statue of Hope.
(R) This Owen Bros. card was mailed in 1908, and despite the years and the post office, is nearly pristine.
Hopkinton
Built in 1895, this blocky stone Romanesque building is still in use today. If you look closely at the Wayne E. Hughes postcard, you can see an adjacent building.
This was an Episcopal church, and in 1967, it was purchased by the municipality.
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Only quite recently (2010) has the Library transferred into town control.
Housatonic (Ramsdell Public Library)
Huntington
Oxymoronic clapboard Romanesque interpretation. It has been replaced: I have no proof that it was demolished, just a suspicion.
Americhrome card which I believe to be one of the earliest uses of the white border as an ink-saving device.
Hyannis, Cape Cod (Hyannis Free Public Library and Engleston Library)
(L) Mailed in 1913: does not show the secondary building.
(R) 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.
Kingston (Frederic C. Adam's Public Library)
Mildly misspelled on the J.E. Childs postcard, which was mailed in 1928.
The Colonial Revival building functioned as a library between 1898 and 1994. Preserved, it's now the Adams Center.
