Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Colorado & Wyoming
Public Libraries
Wyoming's non-Carnegie libraries have been added to this page.
Akron
Founded 1915. This building, still in use, was built in 1928. Among other funding, dollar raffle tickets helped build the red brick library.
The photo postcard was added to a collection in 1958.
Boulder
Buena Vista
Now the Northern Chaffee County Library District.
This building was a combination Library and Community House.
Colorado Springs
Caption from the deckle-edged Dexter Press card's back:
View of Penrose Public Library, Holly Sugar Building, May-D&F Dept. Store and Antlers Plaza Hotel, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Opened 1968; renovated 1999. Augmented the Carnegie building.
Surprisingly, due to the city annexation of Colorado City, Colorado Springs houses two Carnegie buildings.
Denver
Most (well, 8) of Denver's libraries were Carnegie buildings.
1956 main building (Broadway and 14th)
This replaced the Carnegie building, which still stands.
Dexter Press card, produced for Sanborn Souvenir Company. The series of postcards all has curved corners, making a good scan challenging.
Sanborn Souvenir Company produced some marvelous photo postcards (see Grand Junction card, below) earlier in the century.
In turn, the 1956 library was renovated by Michael Graves in 1990. This is the incarnation I have visited, although I don't remember these views.
(L) Interior of the lobby. Can you see the postcard rack?
(R) Western Room.
Georgetown (John Tomay Memorial Library)
This exquisite building, which resembles a train station of the late 19th century, is still in use as a public library.
It's uncommon to see vintage images of libraries reprinted as postcards. Frank J. Duca did this for many intermountain historical structures, and was gentleman enough to make it obvious that his product line was comprised of reprints.
Grand Junction
Built in 1938, as a WPA project, as a replacement for the Carnegie building. In use, with assistance from the Mesa Junior College District, until approximately 1974.
Sanborn photo card.
Julesburg
Somebody flipped a negative.
(L) W.C. Pine card, never mailed.
(R) Mayrose Co. card.
Combination public library and museum, built in 1937 as a WPA project, and still in use.
On the Colorado State Register of Historical Properties.
Pueblo (McClelland Public Library)
Replaced the Carnegie building sometime around 1965,
The Henry McGrew postcard came in Continental size, and has a deckle edge.
Sugar City
Sugar City was essentially a company town, with an economy dependent on the National Sugar Manufacturing Company, which closed in 1967.
I don't know yet whether this was a village public library, or one serving the workers of the sugar plant. There seems to be no library building remaining in the town as examining it via Google Street View.
The Process Photo Studios of Chicago issued this card, making me wonder if it's a reprint.
Wyoming Public Libraries
Basin (Big Horn County Library)
Replaced the Carnegie building in the mid-1950s. Doesn't the image scream mid-20th Century?
I believe the other building pictured to be the Big Horn County Courthouse.
Powell
Mid-century modern municipal building, no longer housing the library.
Now part of the Park County Library System.
Torrington
Just because a building is utilitarian, it doesn't have to be ugly.
There is a Sanborn postcard out there that doesn't include "library" in its caption. And on Google Street view, the current library looks like it might be a modernized version of this building. Not hideous, just not as nice.
Postcard by Littler Photograph.
