Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of New Hampshire
Cities K-O
Keene (Thayer Library Building)
Now known as Keene Public Library.
This building was built in 1869 as a residence. It offically was opened as a library in 1898. Thoroughly remodeled and renovated in 1998-9.
The postcard is unattributed, and was mailed in 1911.
Kingston (Nichols Memorial Library)
This Nichols is of the J. Howard persuasion.
Built 1898: replaced in 2011.
Plans exist to turn this beautiful building into a combined historical society museum.
Laconia (Gale Memorial Building)
(L) Did they miss the library's true colors!
(R) Suddenly, a house!
Is anybody else channeling the Monty Python "How Not to be Seen" sketch?
According to the history page, Laconia's Romanesque Revival library was designed by Charles Bingham and built by E. Noyes Whitcomb and Co., all out of Boston. Two types of granite were used. A large addition was made in 1956-1957 to the 1903 building.
Still in use, with much space added.
Lancaster (Weeks Memorial Library)
(L) T.J. Noyes card.
(R) Captioned 'The William D'Weeks Memorial Library'. Mailed in 1912.
The Library began in 1884. This is the 1906 building, which had an addition in 1999.
Lisbon
1926 building. One of its donors was Harry Chandler, former editor of the Los Angeles Times.
Still in use.
1946 Curt Teich 'C.T. Art Colortone' cards, with linen finish.
Manchester (Carpenter Memorial Library)
Souvenir brand card with foliage added. It bears a Jamestown founding commemorative stamp from 1907.
This is the original, 1871 city library. Children were not allowed within, and even without a section for juvenile literature until after 1907, this was outgrown by 1910.
(L) John B. Varick card printed by Curt Teich.
(R) Art Novelty card, also by Curt Teich.
Wasn't the photographer taking any notes?
This looks suspiciously like an after-school scene at the newer Library building.
Why the newer building?
Beyond the service desk, in the background, there are arched windows aligned as the windows are on the second building.
Marlboro (Frost Free Library)
Isn't this the gloomiest library postcard ever, with the small burying ground and monument in the foreground?
The current library building seems to be the same as shown.
Mezzochrome card, another ANC production. It was mailed in 1909.
Meredith
Apparently still in use: the building may have another, newer rear wing.
Morrison the Druggist ordered this plain postcard.
No one mailed it.
Milford (Wadleigh Memorial Library)
Founded in 1868, library service in Milford traveled among several locations until 1950, when funds bequeathed in 1932 were finally put to use. I suspect that allowed a generously sized facility. That said, an addition was built in 1986.
Ironically, this card was a Colourpicture product.
Mont Vernon (Daland Memorial Library)
The 1909 building is still in use.
The postcard, produced by Fletcher & Company of Orleans, VT, was mailed in 1914. It has befallen a few misfortunes since then.
Nashua (Hunt Memorial Library)
(L) Vertically formatted linen finish Tichnor Quality View, never mailed.
(C) Linen finish postcard, also a Tichnor Quality View. Wasn't the photographer taking any notes?
(R) The card is a Tichnor Bros. Lusterchrome, for Rudy's Post Card Service. Whether it was Rudy, or the Tichnor boys' shot, the third car captured is an especially fetching Ford Country Squire.
Quite unusual architecture for a public library: a little Gothic, a little industrial, and a touch of gymnasium. It was a 1903 building, designed by Ralph Adams Cram. I believe that it's still standing, despite being replaced in 1960. The replacement building might be endangered, however.
New Hampton (Gordon-Nash Library)
The Gordon-Nash Library operates in a nebulous sphere of being non-profit, private, and open to the public. Because of the last phrase, I include it on this page.
It opened privately in 1896, and to the public in 1906. It houses collections from three area literary societies, and became less esoteric in 1960, when a children's section, reference reading room, and a fiction section were added. At this point it began to fill its role as serving the public.
The postcard was printed in Germany for F.W. Sanborn, prior to 1908.
New Ipswich
This Shingle style building appears to have had at least two additions and major renovations. It is still in use as a library.
The photo postcard was mailed in 1909.
Newport (Richards Free Library)
G.W. Morris postcard, printed in Germany.
Founded in 1888. This building was torn down for a bank, in 1962.
Dexter Richards' granddaughter rescued the Library by offering the use of her house--while she continued to live in the upstairs until death did they part. The former home has been renovated in 1987 and 2006.
Information from the Library web site.
North Conway
The 1911 building was expanded in 1917 and 1988, and is still in use.
An elegant RPPC, not attributable.
