Carnegie-MI-G-L | library-postcards

Lansing, MI Carnegie library and high school

Carnegie Libraries of Michigan
Cities G-L

Grand Haven

Replaced by the Loutit Library.

Quite a long correspondence is summarized on the Library's history page. I'll summarize the grant process as beginning in 1902, with the dollar amount decreasing as the city received bequests and the city council shilly-shallied. Finally, the building was built in 1913, and opened in 1914.

This RPPC was taken in October, 1913, as construction was finishing.

The current building opened in 1967, and the Carnegie building demolished soon thereafter, meeting the ignominious fate of being becoming a bank parking lot.

Houghton

The Copper County Explorer gives a richly detailed history of the 1910 Carnegie Library. Its building now houses the Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw.

The card was in the possession of Velma Pickett, who claims to have written the "History of Houghton."

Howell

Two views of an interesting library building. At first I thought the photo card was of the Duluth library, as it looks like water in the background.

Grant from 1902. The rest of the Library's history is on its website.

Hudson

Lithochrome brand card.

1903 grant. Still in use.

Iron Mountain

(L) E.C. Kropp card, never mailed.
(R) C.E. Anderson card, mailed in 1911.

Unusual 1901 Carnegie building, now serving as the Menominee Range Historical Museum.

I wonder if Andrew got a little hot under the celluloid collar at the frivolity of both a balcony AND a porch.
Looking at this with modern eyes, my guess is that the back wing was the childrens' department.

Ironwood

E.C. Kropp card, never mailed.

Note the cannon near the corner. Return your books promptly on or before their due date.

1900 Carnegie grant. Building was built in 1901, and is the oldest continually operating Carnegie Library in Michigan.

Ishpeming

1901 grant.
The Library (2015) is working on making this Carnegie building accessible. The site shows some interesting inside photos and drawings.

1903 card, published by Rotograph and printed in Germany.
The telephone/telegraph poles are absolutely festooned with wires and insulators. The store has a Quaker Oats sign on its side wall.
The library building bears a strong resemblance to the formerly abandoned Waukegan, Illinois library building.

Jackson

A very early Curt Teich 'C.T. Photochrom'.

An S.H. Knox card with unevenly divided back.

It's pretty unusual to find any interior photo of a small town Carnegie building, much less two totally different publications.

(L) Curt Teich card.

(R) Drake Bros. card.

A Hugh C. Leighton card, mailed 1909.

1901 grant.

The library building is still in use as the centerpiece of the Jackson District Library. I doubt the card catalog (above) made it nearly 100 years.

Lansing

(L) Unknown publisher.

(R) S.H. Knox card, printed in Germany, shows part of a building in the background.

(L) You have the whole kielbasa here: the Carnegie building and the high school.

(R) Interior, with reference deskand closed stacks in the background.

Building is now part of the Lansing Community College, and houses the Office for Business Program. Read the PR release for a description of the renovation.
Said description called it an 1898 building, so read advisedly.

Of course, I had to go photograph this building. Unfortunately, the weather was miserable, and water vapor rising from the storm sewers wrecked most of my shots. These copyrighted photos are the best of the day.