Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Vermont
Cities A-M
In contrast to the Carnegie libraries, there are an amazing number of library postcards from a tiny state.
Barre (Aldrich Public Library)
Still in use, but with assistance from a branch location.
The card was published by O.J. Dodge, who actually put his business address--200 N. Main St.--right on the front of the card.
He had it printed by H.G. Zimmerman of Chicago, producers of 'ZIM' postcards.
Bellows Falls
Early history from History of the town of Rockingham, Vermont, including the villages of Bellows Falls, Saxtons River, Rockingham, Cambridgeport and Bartonsville, 1753-1907, with family genealogies, chapter 36.
A library was founded in 1799, but the Rockingham Free Public Library was established in 1887. The library occupied this building from 1888 to at least 1905. The history comments that as of its writing (1907), the Carnegie offer was unaccepted.
This 1888 building was built for the post office.
Detroit Publishing printed some incredible postcards: indeed, the trolley strains belief.
This one is of the 'Phostint' line, and was mailed from Bellows Falls in 1915.
Bennington
According to a 2012 Google Earth image, this brick building is still standing, with a ghost "Free Library" sign painted near the roofline.
Curiously, this postcard was first postmarked in March, 1904, from Boston, with a typed address in East Woodstock, CT. The receiving post office has a May 14, 1904 date. However, the writing on the card obvers dates it to either 11/11/1905 or 11/11/1908. The annotation is 'Bennington, VT.'
The above building served from 1865-1936, when the current library, below, took over service.
This was built on the old Trenor W. Park land by architect Herbert Turner.
The postcard was printed by Koppel Color Cards, and was never mailed.
Bradford (Woods Public Library)
A Bradford library received a 1796 charter.
This library wasn't the result. The current Romanesque building came from the 1895 donation by John L. Woods. Lambert Packard was its architect.
Information from Northern New England Villages.
Self-framed postcard, mailed in 1908.
Brandon
A line drawing of this building, sans the structure at right, serves as the library's logo. It's uncertain if this building still houses the library, however.
The photo postcard was produced by Eastern Illustration Co., of Belfast, Maine.
Brattleboro (Brooks Library)
1887 small Romanesque library building, suspiciously outgrown and acquired by the federal government for the postal service. Replaced in 1965.
The Rotograph brand card dates to 1905.
Bristol (Lawrence Memorial Library)
Two photo postcards by the Gove Photo Co. of Bristol. Only the second is stamped as such.
The studio was also known as Gove & Needham.
I'm somewhat surprised to see it's still in use.
Chelsea
Many early New England postcards are in this style. This was published for Bixby's store, and mailed in 1906.
It looks as though the town hall moved elsewhere, as the Chelsea Public Library occupies this Romanesque Light building today.
Danby (S.L. Griffith Library)
Private library serving the public.
1908 building, still in use. Weirdly, the collection uses the rare Cutter classification system.
Real Photo Postcard (RPPC) which shows three people on the library steps.
Derby Line (Haskell Free Library)
Very strange library: the books are in Rock Island, Quebec, and the checkout counter is in Derby Line, Vermont. The collection is split between French and English material.
The equally strange library postcard also features the Dominion of Canada flags.
Essex Junction (Brownwell Library)
Nearby Essex also has its own library.
This neo-Georgian brick library was built in 1926. Surprisingly, Samuel Brownwell also helped design the building. It received a 1970 addition, and a renovation in 2001.
The unattributable card was in the collection of Lon Cohron, of Gary, Indiana.
Franklin (Haston Library)
Donated by Elvira S. Haston.
Nice web history, taken from Towle's 1989 A History of Franklin 1789-1989. Franklin Historical Society, Haston Library Franklin, Vt. The original historical room was changed into a children's room in 1982.
Helpful caption:
Haston Library, Franklin, Vermont
Erected 1907.
Guildhall
Google was very insistent that the postcard maker misspelled the caption.
So 'Guildhall' it is.
The Library occupies the first floor of a Masonic Lodge. According to its history page, the seven stained glass windows represent Masonic degrees.
Hardwick (Jeudevine Memorial Library)
(L) 'Greetings from' postcard in linen finish.
(R) Unattributed postcard with name misspelled as 'Jeuderine.'
This library is still in use.
Johnson
The only information from the Library which I could find about this building was on Facebook:1909 founding.The building looks like other libraries of the era.
(L) Early F.W. Swallow postcard.
(R) This doggerel card is the best of the genre I have so far. I suppose it's logical that so many cards of this style feature library photographs. This example comes from National Art Publishing Co. The copyright date is a bit chopped, but it's either 1910 or 1918. The postmark is a bit misstruck.
Lunenburg (Alden Balch Memorial Library)
Still in use. It looks like a 1904 date above the entrance.
The card was mailed in 1906.
Lyndonville (Cobleigh Public Library)
Another caption typo: American Art Post Card of Boston has this spelled as 'Cobleich.'
The 1906 building had major renovations in 1976 and 1995. Today, the Library expands its service with a bookmobile.
Manchester (Mark Skinner Library)
(L) Tuck postcard, printed in Germany, not Great Britain.
(R) Chrome postcard with photo by William Sargent.
Replaced by the Manchester Community Library ca. 2014.
If one had been on the ball in late 2014, one could have snapped this 7,000 square foot, 117 (now 120) year old building up as a residence.
Unfortunately, one other was.
Middlebury
Montpelier (Kellogg-Hubbard Library)
A disputed will almost kept this library from its 1896 beginning. This Classical Revival (saith the library history page) building survived major floods in 1927 and 1992.
The Library suffered along until 2001, when the very necessary renovations were finished.
Morrisville
Alas, were this Morristown, my Carnegie library quest would be complete. But it's not.
Still in use, with renovations and an addition.
Photo postcard, never mailed.