Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Massachusetts
Cities N
Nahant
Founded in 1819. The current library building dates to 1895. Bonus fact:
It was the first electrified building in Nahant.
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The T. Alfred Johnson card was mailed in 1920, and after a quarter century, the library building needed a good sandblasting. The photos online show an immaculate stone building.
New Bedford
Newburyport
Founded in 1854, but the building, the Tracy Mansion, dates back to 1771. The Library moved in in 1865: I would think there would have been bigger things on folks' minds, but this has endured until 2001, when an addition was sorely needed.
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The unattributed postcard was mailed in 1905.
Newton
(L) German card, mailed in 1908 from Colorado. How odd.
(R) I believe this to be a Metropolitan News postcard, mailed in 1907.
This is one of those buildings I can't stylistically identify. My SWAG is Italianate, or Carpenter Gothic.
Although the marker on the photo postcard below states that it is a branch library, this is no longer true.
West Newton
No longer in use.
Several Wisconsin libraries (Durand, Platteville, and to a lesser extent, Waupaca and Kaukauna) share this Tudor/Gothic architecture.
The only manufacturer's identification seen is NOKO in the postage box.
North Adams
Established in 1884. Amazingly, this High Italianate building is still in use as a public library.
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The Metropolitan News postcard, with entire reverse, predates 1907.
North Attleboro (Richards Memorial Public Library)
Very wide age spread in publishing dates.
(L) Monochrome card.
(R) Photochrom card from L-K Color Photo Cards of Providence.
The Romanesque building is still in use.
North Brookfield (Haston Free Public Library)
Perhaps the Haston Public Library is the definitive Romanesque structure.
Who can tell for certain with this blah card?
No publisher had the guts to admit to producing it.
From the interior pictures on the library web site, it looks as if this building is still in use.
North Easton (Ames Free Library)
(L) Early postcard mailed in 1905. It was distributed by O'Connor's Drug Store.
(R) Photo postcard from an unknown source. From the paper, I judge this to be post-WWII.
(L) Monochrome postcard, ca. 1957, of Ames Memorial Hall.​
(R) Rotograph brand monochrome card, postmarked 1906.
These Romanesque buildings were designed by the master of the style, H.H. Richardson. This was built between 1877 and 1879, and the Library opened in 1883. A children's wing was added in 1931, and the library is still in use.
North Orange
The October, 1912 message on this RPPC describes it as the North Orange Library.
The community is possibly served by the Moore-Leland Branch of the Orange, Massachusetts library. Google Earth shows a building which just might—possibly—be the one shown.
North Scituate (Pierce Memorial Library)
A 2008 Scituate Arts Association newsletter stated that this is now privately owned, and also served as an Episcopalian church. The order is unknown to me.
Lovely building shown by Tichnor Quality views, mailed in September, 1925. Its message comments that 'little buildings like this are dotted all over the country.'
Northborough (Dale Library)
Village name misspelled as 'Northboro.'
This small, dressed stone building appears annexed to the new building.
Mailed in 1913. No publishing information.
Northbridge (Whitinsville Social Library)
Located in the Whitinsville section of Northbridge.
Chrome postcard featuring a dressed stone Georgian Revival building.
Norwood (Morrill Memorial Library)
(L) Curt Teich American Art card, mailed in 1924.
(R) H.A. Dickerman & Son card, printed for Hunt's 5 & 10 ¢ Store.
Norwood, aka South Dedham, had a lending library as early as 1790.
This building is not it.
The 1898 building was added on in 1928 and 1965, then renovated in 2001.