Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Iowa Public Libraries
Cities T-Z
Victor
The library history is far more interesting than this pathetic Artvue card, whose redeeming feature is a '62 Chevy.
A grant from the National Government for Unemployed Teachers, plus local donations, founded the Victor Community Library, which opened in 1934 in a drugstore's balcony (more likely, a mezzanine). With seven librarians, and four pages, it lasted only one year.
The 1955 effort, which this card does not show, succeeded, moving in late 1956 to the location likely seen here. At this point, it received tax monies, but after a bake sale was held to buy shelves!
It tottered along until 1986, when patron Janet Wilkins left her estate to the city.
Poof! a new building was built in 1989.
Other cities' libraries could learn to put together a history page like Victor has done. However, I can't find another reference to those unemployed teachers anywhere.
Washington (The Jane A. Chilcote Public Library)
(L) C.U. Williams 'Photoette' card.
(R) One of the first Curt Teich postcards with a divided back, mailed in 1908.
Similar views of the 1901-1952 iteration of Washington's library. Demolished due to termites and a crumbling foundation.
Three library buildings have succeeded the Chilcote one.
(R) 'Sky-Tint' brand postcard, never mailed.
A lot of weeding must have done to fit the library into this small brick building. However, an addition was staved off until 1991.
I believe this ca. 1954 card was produced by L.L. Cook: if not, some other production assistant had near-identical, extremely neat printing.
Webster City (Kendall Young Library)
(L) L.L. Cook photo card.
(R) Curt Teich 'C.T. Blue Sky' card postmarked 1939.
Built 1904. An addition was completed in 1998, and the building is still in use as a library.
(R) Interior of the library, publisher unknown.
MacKinlay Kantor, Civil War author, was a Webster City native. Quote from Martin E. Nass:
Kantor stated that 'he did not attend college, but Kendall Young Library was his university from the day it opened' when he was a small boy. Librarian Charlotte Crosley encouraged him in his pursuit of knowledge. His special interest was the Civil War. He spent hours sitting and listening to the Civil War veterans. This led him to write his novel, Andersonville, for which he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1956. His novel Glory for Me was made into the Academy Award winning movie 'The Best Years of Our Lives' in 1948.
West Branch
Four views of West Branch's buildings. An enlargement of the library quadrant is on the right.
Speedily built in 1904. The south room was added in 1930, the entrance enclosed in 1963, and in 1974, the basement was converted to a children's library.
Replaced in 1993.
Houses the West Branch Times today: history from the Library's web site.
West Union (Heiserman Library)
West Union has struggled with maintaining library service. The 1907 library closed--with an approximate $25 debt--in 1907. 20 years elapsed until service resumed.
Surprisingly, this is a 1954 building. It was replaced--again, grudgingly--in 1999.
Heiserman uncertainty principle?
The L.L. Cook card also shows a Conoco station in the background.
