Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Massachusetts
Cities C-E
Cambridge
Postcard printed in Germany.
This building was renovated sometime after 2007. It's still proudly standing, but I don't know what its function is besides beauty, as there's a rather astonishing new (2009) facility behind.
The Romanesque building was designed by Van Brunt & Howe, and built in 1888.
Canton
1901 building in Harvard/Old English Bond style, according to the Library's history page. Expanded in 1962.
(L) Unattributed photo postcard. If it were of a midwestern library, I might call it from Co-Mo Photo.
(R) The Rotograph postcard which helped me identify the former.
Chatham, Cape Cod (Eldrege Public Library)
Dedicated in 1896. Well-covered with ivy, the small Richardsonian Romanesque building was designed by Albion M. Marble.
Today, its management has been privatized.
F.D. West postcard, mailed in 1943.
Chelsea (Fitz Patrick Library)
Chelmsford (Adams Library)
Not John. Not John Quincy. Amos Francis Adams was Chelmsford's library benefactor. Weirdly, the hunting scene he also donated was sold at auction in 1993, and funded the 1994 library addition.
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"North" was crossed off this Rotograph card caption, mailed in 1913.
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Chicopee
Replaced in 2004. I believe that this building was demolished, but am not certain.
For a chrome (Plastichrome, to be exact) postcard, this is rather nifty. The most recent of these autos is 1954.
Cohasset (Pratt Memorial Library)
Built in 1903: totally renovated in 1976, and replaced in 2003.
Now houses the Cohasset Historical Society.
Hugh C. Leighton card, printed in Germany and faithful to the Library's colors.
Colrain (Griswold Memorial Library)
Still in use, with a very long sidewalk. The building's plan resembles that of the Ripon, WI Carnegie library.
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The photo postcard's caption was letterset, making the town name resemble Golrain.
Concord
Early 1930s renovation of the Gothic building into Georgian style. Not content with this, further renovations were made in 1938, 1968, the late 1980s, and finally (one would hope) between 2003 and 2005.
Unattributed postcard, probably printed just prior to World War II.
Conway (Field Memorial Library)
(L) Interior view. Plaque above desk reads:
This building was built by Marshall Field in memory of his father and mother. John Field and Florida (blurred) Field Anno Domini 1900.
(R) German treatment of the Field Memorial Library. Its base picture was either taken during a blight or during the winter.
Posh. Its dedication in 1901 was even covered by the New York Times.
The library is now part of the Western Massachusetts Regional Library System.
Cotuit
According to the Library's web site, the Library is located in an 1820 schoolhouse since 1894. It has had several additions and is funded by the Cotuit Library Association.
Their Flickr page has several fascinating photographs.
Silvercraft cards normally have a deckle edge: this is cropped off the scan.
Danvers (The Peabody Institute)
Not to be confused with the library in Peabody.
This building replaced the 1869 building, lost to fire, in 1892. It was renovated in 1963 and 1980. The Library's history page describes this architecture as Georgian Revival.
1905 Rotograph card, never mailed.
Dedham
(L) Reichner Brothers card.
(R) Photo postcard with 'AZO' postage box.
Interesting building in a city with a fascinating cultural history. Its checkered effect comes from Dedham pink granite and red sandstone trim.
The Library's roots date back to 1794, and a social library organized by a church. The next iteration's date was 1854. This form was chartered by the Massachusetts legislature in 1871, but the Romanesque/Southern French building comes from the 1886 Hannah Shuttleworth bequest, according to the Library's web site.
The children's room of 1916 was replaced by the children's wing of 1952.
East Bridgewater (Washburn Library)
No longer known as Washburn Library.
Strangely, I found its history on a paranormal society page, so take the information which the Library neglected to furnish with a grain of salt.
Cyrus Washburn was the benefactor of this Romanesque Revival building, in 1896. Previously, the Library was located in a Masonic building. It was built on the lots of a Catholic church and a tavern, an odd juxtaposition.
Rotograph postcard, printed in Germany. Unlike many 'Rotographs', there is no copyright date, but its back dates it to 1907 or later.
East Douglas (Simon Fairfield Public Library)
In memory of the parents of James W. Fairfield. Built in 1903 and in need of ADA compliant renovations.
Mailed in 1908: publisher unknown.
Easthampton (Emily Williston Memorial Library)
(L) Very attractive RPPC with an early automobile.
(R) Curt Teich American Art postcard from 1916. For some reason, the recipient's name is crossed out in red, and was also overstamped, 'Training Class.' It was postmarked in 1917.
1881 Peabody and Stearns building with design elements from the Romanesque, Tudor, and New England traditions.
Hooray! The Emily Williston Memorial Library is no longer painted like a circus wagon.
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(R) Raphael Tuck & Sons' 'Belle' series of postcards.
Everett (Parlin Memorial Library)
(L) Card dated Oct. 16, 1908.
(R) Leather postcard, cut askew and difficult to scan. The manufacturer appears to be the Hy-Mi Mfg. Co.
Everett has two libraries: Parlin (pictured) and Shute Memorial, which was recently renovated.
(L) I included this card because of the odd stamp placement and denomination. It was mailed to Denmark. The Hugh C. Leighton postcard has some nice little touches.
