Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Illinois
Cities H-K
Hampshire
Originally misidentified as the Hampshire, Ill. Fire and Ambulance District. Why books would be in the window of the fire and ambulance HQ, I don't know.
We in the know identify it as the Ella Johnson Memorial Library. I believe its current home is in a repurposed implement showroom.
Harvard (Delos F. Diggins Library)
(L) Beautiful C.R. Childs photo postcard.
(R) Righthand card postmarked 1955.
Publisher Curt Teich notes:
DELOS F. DIGGINS LIBRARY HARVARD, ILLINOIS
One of the finest buildings of a progressive community, filling a public need faithfully for many years.
Libraries are your faithful friend. Even Curt Teich agrees.
Replaced in 2001, the memorial building is being used by the neighboring St. Joseph's Catholic Church as a community center.
(R) Building built in 1909: this C.U. Williams card was sent shortly afterwards.
Highland (Latzer Memorial Library)
(L) Eagle Post Card View for Voegele's Studio.
(R) Auburn Greeting Card postcard of a tiled interior, card catalogue, reference desk, and an atlas case.
Like Gail Borden Public Library in upstate Elgin, Louis Latzer Memorial Library exists from the generosity of a dairy family; in this case, the founders of Pet Milk Company. Founded in 1929, it was renovated in 1971, when a wing was added by a daughter of the family, Jennie Latzer Kaeser.
Highland Park
(L) The linen finish card by Curt Teich was mailed in 1949.
(R) Photo card by L.L. Cook.
This is Highland Park's second library, built in 1931 to replace the Carnegie building. It was designed by Holmes & Flinn. Why it was replaced so quickly, I don't know. I think I like the older library better.
Hinsdale
Not much of a pair of cards, but better than nothing.
(L) The caption of this reprint reads:
'Hinsdale of Yesteryear'
Memorial Building on Chicago Avenue, early 1900
(Photo courtesy of Hinsdale Doings.)
(R) L.L. Cook photo post card.
Still in use with an addition.
Homewood
Founded in 1920.
Replaced sometime this century. Both the new and old are on the Dixie Highway, a major Detroit-to-Florida tourist route which predates the numbered US Federal Highway System.
'Etch-Tone' brand card, with date code 8-58. The Library building was really this bland.
Kankakee
Per E.C. Kropp, the misleading Milwaukeean:
This is a Carnegie endowed institution. The bronze lions were installed at the entrance in 1928 after being removed from the entrance of the Gelino department store ruins. The lions were previously at the entrance of a large Chicago department store and were brought to Kankakee after the disastrous fire in 1871.
Chronology. Building dedicated in 1899.
The Library's site looks a lot better than it did when I began this project. However, there's no word about the fate of the original building, which was replaced in 2004. The Library does show the original building's plans.
