Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Carnegie Libraries of Arizona & New Mexico
Statistics come from George S. Bobinski's Carnegie Libraries. Using those statistics, my quest for these states' Carnegie library buildings is done.
Arizona
Four libraries from Carnegie grants. All are still standing. All are shown on this page
Phoenix
Berryhill postcard
Neuner Calitype Process card,
distributed by the Benham Indian Trading Co. of Los Angeles.
Petley chrome postcard
1902 grant. Opened in 1908, during territorial years. Replaced in 1953.
Various duties since then, now serving as the Carnegie Center: the home for the Library Development Division staff of the Arizona State Library.
It's a red building that has a low shallow dome. It's hard to tell on these cards and on the Carnegie Center site's picture.
Prescott
The red brick building opened in late 1903, subsequent to a fire in the previous building which destroyed its collection. Today it's in use as offices.
This is an attractive monochrome postcard, printed by Albertype for local druggists Corbin & Bork. It was never mailed.
Tucson
(L) Although it's a Curt Teich 'C.T. American Art' postcard, it seems undateable.
(R) Note the xeroscaping on the older, Detroit Publishing Co. card.
The Tucson-Pima Public Library site states only that the current building dates from 1989. The Carnegie roots are never mentioned. Glenn A. Walsh's web site gives a grant date of 1899, as does Bobisnki. As Arizona was not admitted as a state until 1912, this demonstrates that grants were extended into U.S. territories.
The building served as a library from 1901 to 1991, and now is the city's Tucson Children's Museum.
Yuma
Yuma received a late 1917 grant, and the resultant building was delayed by four years. Therefore, the 1921 library doesn't really scream "Carnegie." It might if it were in red brick rather than white. It still serves, but as a branch library today.
The postcard photo was taken by Bob Van Luchene and was printed by Petley.
New Mexico
3 territorial Carnegie grants.
Las Vegas
Raton
The Library moved from a 1912 Carnegie building, which was demolished in 1969, to a 1917 post office building. It was a bit larger, but that's about it.
The postcard is an unusual E.C. Kropp product, and was mailed in 1920.
Roswell
In 2018, demolition began on the numerous additions to the Carnegie building, restoring it to its pre-1952 appearance. It was supposed to be converted into a boutique, hotel, and restaurant (how?), but I have no further information a year later.
(L) An Albertype postcard, which surprisingly, has a divided back.
(R) The postcard was produced for the Payton Drug, Book & Stationery store, and mailed in 1908.
