Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Maine
Cities G-N
Gardiner
Gorham (Baxter Memorial Library)
Pink granite on the outside: red oak on the inside. A house was moved to accomodate this library building. It's still in use today, with a 2003 addition.
The Hugh C. Leighton postcard was never mailed.
Greenville (Shaw Library)
Now, with the Davis Annex!
Built in 1925 by Charles D. Shaw: eventually the Library claimed the whole building. Mr. Shaw didn't seem to mind a bit.
Photo postcard, mailed in 1947. Apparently, according to its sender, this was the end of the good road.
Hallowell (Hubbard Free Library)
Who can resist an aluminum postcard?
Evidently, a lot of folks did: I've seen three to this date, two of libraries.
Apparently the aluminum card was mailed in a glassine envelope, as fourth class mail. This card was produced by Owens Bros.-- Hillson Co., of Boston.
(L) The other, more ordinary card with an unevenly divided back, was made in Germany. I believe one of the publishers reversed the negative.
(R) Poorly exposed photo postcard of the interior.
According to the Library's web page, this is the oldest library building in Maine still in use. It was never a church, although architect Alexander C. Currier's design was that of a English country church. The 1880 building had 1893 and 1897 additions, and landed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.
Isle au Haut (Revere Memorial Library)
Both these cards were mailed to the same woman in February, 1908.
(L) Collins Photo.
(R) Hugh C. Leighton tinted postcard of the Jlse au Haut Carnegie library.
Today, this Library serves 73 residents. This may be the smallest population to have a public library in the US.
Islesboro (Alice L. Pendleton Library)
WWII era photo postcard of the 1918 library building. The flagpole was erected in 1921-1922, serving as the memorial to the town's veterans of overseas wars. A lot of civic buildings did (and still do) this. However, the Library went a step further.
Sgt. Guy Malcolm Yeaton is buried under the front lawn.
The granite and brick (per the Library) building is still in use, with quite short hours, but with its own web site.
Jonesport (Peabody Memorial Library)
Founded in 1893, this building arrived after a 1914 bequest. A new wing was added in 2006.
The attractive photo postcard was mailed in 1916.
Kennebunk
Tichnor Quality View.
The Library is still in use, with an addition.
Kittery (Rice Public Library)
Surprise!
This 1888, landmarked Romanesque building is still in use as a library.
The Hugh C. Leighton postcard was mailed in 1912.
Lincoln
Still in use.
American Art Post Card.
Lovell Village (Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library)
Opened 1908, after a lot of hard work by the eponymous Ms. Hobbs, and a theater fire which vacated a lot. 1975 and 2010 renovation/additions, the first still funded by Charlotte Hobbs, but the latter assisted by Stephen King.
Albertype postcard, never mailed.
Machias (Porter Memorial Library)
Naples
This is the second Naples library structure: the assistant librarian's house.
It was replaced in 1923 by the post office building, and wound up in another old house, which was expanded in 1998.
The card publisher is unknown.
Norridgewock
(L) The card was No. 11560 from the Metro-politan News Co. of Boston.
(R) Zim postcard, mailed in 1911.
Aww, what a cute little library in the woods. Maybe this could be called a 'liberry' without making me enraged.
Its operating income was just a touch over $10,000. Somehow I don't think this building has ever been replaced.
North Anson (Stewart Public Library)
Surprisingly, this little Carpenter Gothic/Eclectic building is still in use as a public library. Its website is rather rudimentary, so I don't have any further information.
Eastern Illustrating Co. photo postcard, never mailed.
North Jay (Jay-Niles Memorial Library)
This eclectic brick building opened in 1918, a donation from the Niles family. It required an addition in 1995, and still uses its second-storey meeting hall.
Unattributed photo postcard, never mailed.
Northeast Harbor
I believe this to be the 1951 iteration, before additions funded by some very posh names. Reality hit in 2002, and in 2007, this building was replaced. One of its additions was preserved.
Photo postcard of unknown publisher.
Norway
Tichnor Quality View, mailed in 1948.
Evidently a large fire in 1894 left a lot open for the already established library. It was built in 1938 to match the rest of the town. It is still in use, with a 2001 addition.
