Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Maine
Cities A-B
Maine seems very focused on public library service. Every hamlet has its library. Something I have never seen for other states is the State Library of Maine's Maine Answers Tough Times resource.
Alfred (Parson's Memorial Library)
Still in use.
Card by Eastern Illustrating.
Augusta (Lithgow Library)
This is a confusing library, in that the Library did receive $9,000 in Carnegie funding, according to the Library's history page. Yet, it doesn't appear on any lists of Carnegie libraries.
Dexter Press/Eastern Illustrating postcard calls this the 'Litheau Library.' Lithgow was Llewellyn Lithgow, local merchant, who left a $20,000 bequest in 1881. It was built in 1896, and expanded in 1979.
According to the Library, its style is Romanesque Renaissance.
Bangor
Although this was not a Carnegie library, it shares a resemblance with Illinois' Freeport Carnegie library and its Galesburg library, lost to fire. The current building, along with the high school, were planned by the architects of Peabody & Stearns, of Boston, of course, in 1912--after a fire. Its renovation and addition date to 1997. Its roots date back to the library of the Bangor Mechanic Association.
(L) This C.T. American Art (Curt Teich) card
was mailed in 1917.
(R) Although this is called an American Art Post Card,this postcard doesn't have Curt Teich QC. Pierce is misspelled as 'Peirce Memorial' in the caption.
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor Village Library
The book Bar Harbor, by Earle G. Shettleworth Jr., shows a very similar postcard, and asserts that this building was erected in 1890.
Mundane, unattributed monochrome card, mailed in 1906.
Bar Harbor (Jesup Memorial Library)
Dedicated in 1911. Still in use.
(L) Thought to be a Curt Teich reprint.
(R) Leighton & Valentine Card with an unevenly divided back, photographed to show off the building's symmetry.I believe that Hugh C. Leighton merged with Valentine Souvenir, possibly due to the Great War.
Bath (Patten Free Library)
Built in 1890: still in use, with 2 additions.
Especially on the righthand card, the library facade looks a touch horrified.
This looks like a very inefficient use of space, but I like the building anyway. The link will show you an interior view, if you're curious.
(R) Bucolic setting, in another image captured on a Tichnor Quality View postcard, never mailed.
Belfast
An 1888 building almost could have served as a model for the latter Carnegie 'Standard Plan.' It's still in use, with 4 additions, the latest in 2000. It makes for a rather clunky, but functional building.
I like both these cards, but some of the details in the street view are wonderful. Many New England cards were Hugh C. Leighton products that were printed in Germany.
Biddeford (McArthur Library)
Built in 1902.
A millworker, Elizabeth Stevens, and Robert McArthur (and his family), were the forces behind this library building. It is still in use.
The German postcard was mailed in 1907.
Blue Hill
Still in use.
Card by Eastern Illustrating Co., with unfortunate damage at lower right.
Boothbay Harbor
The current building is the 1840s Greek Revival residential structure, slightly altered, shown on the attractive 1946 Curt Teich linen post card (L).
I have a second card, with nearly identical view, by American Art Postcard Co. of Boston. Hmm.
(R) Beautiful photo card by McDougall & Keefe, mailed in 1928.
Established 1906.Its neighboring Hyde House holds the library's book store. I suspect its customers are tourists and summer people.
Bridgton
(L) Pioneer post card, mailed in 1905.
(R) Tinted German card predates 1907.
I believe that this was the original, 1895 building. No knowledge as to its fate.
Bridgton Highlands (Walker Library)
1892 building, standing adjacent to a country club. Of course, it's no longer a library.
Hugh C. Leighton postcard, mailed in 1910.
Brunswick (Curtis Memorial Library)
Curt Teich card, with a date code signifying a publication date between 1908 and 1910.
1904 building. Its benefactor, William J. Curtis, asked Andrew Carnegie to withdraw his grant, as Curtis 'cherished the idea of presenting to his native town a library building as a tribute to his father's memory.' Also according to the Library's website, the building required a 1973 addition of 10,000 square feet.
Bucksport (Buck Memorial Library)
Dual publishing information:
American Art Post Card Co. and C.T. American Art Colored, an early Curt Teich imprint.
Built by architect George Clough, according to Machias' library's history page.
