Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of New Hampshire
Cities A-C
Think Romanesque, think New Hampshire. There are a lot of nice buildings here.
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Divided from D-J in December, 2021.
Alstead (Shedd-Porter Memorial Library)
A fairly late (1910) Beaux-Arts library building, designed by Wm. H. McLean and Albert H. Wright. It stemmed from donations by John Graves Shedd and Mary Roenna Porter. It is still in use.
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I surmise that the photo card's vignette is that of J.G. Shedd.
Antrim (James A. Tuttle Library)
The Library's history was written by 5th graders. They called it a Colonial Revival building, and I concur. Edwin R. Clarke was its architect (1908).
Photo postcard mailed in 1908. Its sender alludes to the new library building.
Ashuelot (Thayer Public Library)
Appears, from its Facebook page photos, to be still in use.
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The postcard was printed by C.B. Webster & Co. for Mark S. Mann.
Bethlehem
Either recently replaced, or else it has a fabulous addition to the rear.
The J.V. Hartman card states that the building also serves as the town hall.
Boscawen
This 1913 building, on the National Register of Historic Places, was replaced in 2006, and appears to be in limbo. It bears a strong resemblance to Allan D. Conover's Antigo Carnegie Library, but was designed by Guy Lowell in Colonial Revival Style (Antigo's is Georgian Revival).
(L) Merrimack Post Card, never mailed.
(R) This postcard was mailed in 1944, and is unattributable. Its 1944 sender comments:
April 5, '44
I think this building is ill-proportioned; but it is beautiful inside. ... A suggestion for East Hardwick.
Bradford (Brown Memorial Library)
This building today has an 1999 addition to its right, carefully designed, but somehow strange looking.
Unattributed, unmailed, and undated photo postcard.
Bristol (Minot-Sleeper Library)
Dates to 1884-5, with a 2012-3 addition.
My best architectural guess is Gothic.
R.W. Musgrove postcard.
Center Harbor (Nichols Memorial Library)
Built in 1910: still in use. This was founded in memory of James Edwin Nichols, not the James Lawrence Nichols of Naperville, Illinois.
Its architect was Charles Brigham; its builder, T.J. Guay. Its design, at least on the exterior, appears similar to the Carnegie Classical Revival Type A structures.
C.E. Nichols postcard: there may or may not be a connection between him and the Library's Nichols.
Center Sandwich (Wentworth Library)
Still in use. It looks even more charming today.
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The Meriden Gravure postcard was mailed in 1952.
Chesterfield
Built as a WPA project, which I would never have guessed. The Library's branches were closed, and this building became too small.
Eastern U.S. photo postcards seldom have publisher's attribution, but this was by C. Ernest Walker of Contoocook, a specialist in covered bridges and churches.
Colebrook
Built in 1927-8, although the town had some level of library service beforehand. In a convoluted arrangement with the Masons, a large addition was made in 1990.
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The Bisbee Brothers printed this card for the WMPCL--The White Mountain Post Card Line.
Concord
Fowler Library Building
Much background is from Exercises at the Dedication of the Fowler Library Building, Concord, New Hampshire, October 18, 1888. C. Howard Walker and E.B. Hutchinson converted the residence into a public library. It served until 1939, when a Deco building replaced it. Nearing the end of the Fowler Building's tenure, a nearby house was converted to serve the children of the city as the Boys and Girls House, in 1934.
(L) Another Chas. F. Nichols postcard. This also has an Albertype attribution in its postage box.
(R) Woolworth postcard. Many of these were printed by Curt Teich.
Demolished ca. 1938 for the State House Annex.
Concord Public Library
Virginia Babczak's 2005 sesquicentennial history fills in information about this 1940 Art Deco building. Oddly, its architect is unrecognized, but we learn that a 1966 addition was built. A 2002 renovation also took place. It is still in use today.
This linen finish postcard was printed by Tichnor Bros.
Conway
Not associated with the North Conway Library.
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Surrounded by huge additions, this building is still in use.
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This Frank W. Swallow postcard was published by Stone, the Druggist (with a careful comma).
Cornish Flats (G.H. Stowell Public Library)
Donated by a local businessman, built ca. 1911, and still lacking water and septic, according to the Valley News, This outwardly attractive building has likely reached the end of its useful life. Discussion is ongoing about the potential of moving the Library into the old Cornish General Store.
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The card was published by E.P. Brown, and printed by Frank W. Swallow.
