Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Libraries of Connecticut
Cities N-Q
Libraries for cities R-Z are on a new page (February, 2022).
Naugatuck (Howard Whittemore Memorial Library)
Whittemore specified that the Board of Trustees would always have a representative from each of the churches from that date (1894). There are no other members.
Curt Teich card, printed at the behest of C.W. Hughes & Co. in 1930.
New Britain Institute
Founded in 1853. This building, designed by William F. Brooks of Davis & Brooks, was opened in 1901. It is still in use, with newer branches.
The postcard was printed in Germany, and mailed in 1907.
New Haven
(L) Public Library, Court House and Union and N.H. Trust Co. (1929)
(R) Linen card with springtime view.
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New London
This gorgeous card was another Rotograph product.
1891 Romanesque building. H.H. Richardson created the original design, but the architectural firm of Sheply, Rutan & Coolidge finished the work. Still in use, with renovations in 1974, 2001, and 2006.
New Milford
1898 building, with a 1977 addition-cum-renovation. The Romanesque details were kept, and the addition blends in gracefully.
F.M. Cassedy card, essentially mutilated in 1905.
Norfolk
Built in 1889 from a George Keller design. It received additions in 1911 and 1985.
These Albertype post cards, hand colored, may show that 1911 addition, as one (L) was mailed in 1932, and the other, in 1916.
Old Greenwich (Perrot Memorial Library)
Architect D. Everett Waid both donated the land, and drew up plans for this 1930 library. It received a new wing in 1998, and likely desperately needed the space. It's still in use today, but technically a private library.
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The Dexter Press chrome postcard was mailed in 1969.
Old Lyme (Phoebe Griffith Noyes Library)
Library service dates back to a Ladies' Library Association. In 1897, this was built, and run by the organization until its merger with the Phoebe Noyes Griffith trust. You can see the original building here.
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The Silvercraft Dexter Press postcard (scan cropped) shows one of its several additions. The latest addition came in 1995.
Pomfret
Would you believe the Library was founded (1740) as the United Society for Propagating Christian and Useful Knowledge?
The city also is served by the Abingdon Social Library.
The postcard was mailed in 1914.
