Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Michigan
Cities N-Z
Nashville (Putnam Public Library)
Per the International Graphics card:
1973 marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the library for the community in the old Putnam home. The home was bequeathed and endowed for this purpose. In 1965 it became a public library through reorganization.
What the purpose for the shutters below the first floor windows is, I don't know. Perhaps a covering for air conditioners?
Niles
Replaced the city's Carnegie building, probably in the 1960s. It is still in use.
Dexter Press postcard, with the 1966 message:
Up here for Mothers day dinner.
Pearl & Bill
(who were apparently confused by the Library's modern architecture)
Northville Ladies' Library
Three churches' ladies groups ran the library in an old church until 1934, when township funding provided for a new library..The building was replaced in 1964, and moved.
The postcard was mailed in 1919.
Oak Park
Built in 1958, part of a 1955 Civic Center development (per Dexter Press card).
The Library was remodeled in 2011, and retained most of its best features, plus a transparent blue entryway.
Pontiac
1898 building on a Souvenir Brand Post Card. Serves as an art center
It has been difficult to research the history of this Oakland County library. Today it appears to be housed in a converted auto showroom, the Abbott Automobile Company.
Plastichrome brand card with tape damage.
Exceptionally amusingly, the Creative Arts Center page calls this the 'Wide track' building.
Quincy
(L) Judging from the debris field, this looks like a construction photograph. The card was mailed in 1911.
(R) Photo postcard, also unattributed.
Surprisingly controversial for such a sweet unassuming library of 1910.
On our 2009 Michigan vacation, a detour led us past this building. I yelled, 'That's a Carnegie Library! I know it!' We stopped. I whipped out the camera and photographed the building and the marker.
As I read the marker, it stated that Andrew Carnegie wanted the library to be named for him, and that its actual benefactor, Chas. W. Bennett, wished to not be memorialized.
Andrew Carnegie never demanded that his grant recipients name their library for him: many libraries did out of gratitude.
Terwilliger did not include Quincy on its list of Carnegie buildings: neither did Bobinski.
It's still a cute library, now a branch of the Branch District Library.
Romeo (Kezar Library)
Formed in 1908: Dedicated in 1911. Amazingly, its architect, Henry D. Whitfield, the son-in-law of Andrew Carnegie, designed this library. It received an addition in 1971, and was replaced in 2001.
I don't know if this building is still standing, but the fact the Graubner replacement was built on donated land makes me feel optimistic.
Photo postcard, in poor condition. Mailed in 1911.
Saginaw (Hoyt Library)
(L) H.H. Hamm card, possibly printed by Curt Teich.
(R) Hollyhock hedge.
Believe it or not, this nifty building is still in use!
The architects were Boston's Van Brunt and Howe, who began construction in 1887. Although the library opened in 1890, first librarian Harriet Ames was hired in 1888, presumably to stock the library.
Remodeling commenced in 1921, using recycled limestone, and again in 1960, when no matching stone could be found. Hence the jarring card below
The most recent renovation came in 1994.
This Dexter Press/Hiawatha postcard shows the 1960 addition.
Butman-Fish Memorial Library
1916-1978
This was Saginaw's west side branch library.
H.H. Hamm card.
Saint Johns
1956 Centennial celebration postcard detail tells that the city building housed the Library at the time. Fortunately, it has its own quarters today.
Schoolcraft (Ladies Library)
Built in 1896 to provide the women of the area with educational opportunity. Still in use, as is the Schoolcraft Community Library.
The photo postcard is somewhat deceptive, in that the building is much deeper than it appears, and that it's red sandstone.
Southfield
Evergreen Press 'arty' postcard.
The 1964 postcard was a fundraiser for recreational activities in the City. This multipurpose building was superceded ca. 1980.
Vicksburg
(L) Although the card was never postmarked, it bears a 1908 date.
Barely visible on the plaque near the entry is 'Fanny M. Bair Library Building 1902.'
(R) Tinted printed Card was mailed in 1910.
Evolved from the Ladies' Library into the Ladies' Library Auxiliary, after the Library became public in 1942. From the photo on the District Library's web site, it looks like Fanny Bair's donation has been expanded into a modern library.
Wayland (Henika Library)
With Ladies' Library roots, funds bequeathed by Julia Robinson Henika paid for this Richardsonian Romanesque building designed by Fred H. Eely of Grand Rapids. It is still in use.
(L) Published by Will P. Canaan Co. of Grand Rapids.
(R) Photo postcard featuring a man holding what I believe are the blueprints.
West Bay City (Sage Library)
S.H. Knox card, captioned as 'Bay City.'
This building was built of red brick, and has lovely trim, now that it's been uncovered.
What is cool, is that it's still in use despite a new library within two miles.
