Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of New York
Cities G-K
Geneva (Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Library Building)
Still in use, with a 1962 addition.
Dexter Press Dextone card with curved corners
Glen Falls (Crandall Library)
The building is no longer in use as a public library.
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For a Dexter Press postcard, its image is rather charmingly composed. In the foreground is a robin; to the left is a woman on a park bench, perhaps watching the bird.
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The card was mailed in 1951.
Goshen
(L) Monochrome card, not a cyanotype.
(R) Dexter Press chrome card.
Still in use. Incorporates the historical society.
Gouverneur (Reading Room Association of Gouverneur)
Founded in 1886 by the WCTU: current building built in 1900, with 1953, 1970, and 2008 additions. (Information no longer online)
Romanesque building. Just the angular overhang added above the door spoils the impact of this stone building.
Photo postcard with unattributable origins.
Gowanda
Probably dates to 1900. Still in use, with a welcome overhang at its entry.
Curt Teich chrome postcard, with its publication date obscured by its stamp. It was mailed to WGR-TV's Pin Pal promotion, which I imagine was one of those "Bowling for Dollars" type promotion.
Grahamsville (Pierce Library)
Granville (Pember Library)
Chartered in 1909: the dressed stone building is still in use.
ANC Co. Special Colored brand card. This marque is unique in my collection.
Greene (Moore Memorial Library)
The Moore family were founders of Nabisco, and the 1901 benefactors of Greene's public library. The gorgeous Greek Revival building took nearly three years to build.
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The photo postcard was mailed in 1918. As you can see, the streets weren't paved yet.
Haverstraw (King's Daughters Public Library)
Chartered in 1895 through the efforts of King's Daughters, a philanthropic Christian women's society. Guess who signed the charter?
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None other than Melvil Dewey.
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Denton Fowler, the main donor, was a brickyard owner, and of course, the 1903 building was constructed from his product.
(L) Pioneer postcard mailed in 1905.
(R) Valentine & Sons' Publishing card, printed in Great Britain, mailed in 1909.
Fowler Library Building is visible under the library's eaves.
Despite its sturdy Classical/Renaissance Revival construction, it nearly burnt in 1956, when much of the collection was lost.
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Herkimer
Now known as the Frank J. Basloe Library. This building was a donation from the Judge Robert Earl family, and served until 1975. On the last Google car pass through Herkimer's main street, there's a for sale sign by the well-preserved former residence.
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The Utica Paper Co. card was mailed in 1909.
Homer (Phillips Free Library)
(L) Monochrome card with uneven back. No attribution.
(R) 1952 Curt Teich 'C.T. American Art' postcard; another one which looks like the motel account artists got to it.
No clue who Phillips was.
Still in use.
Hoosick Falls (Cheney Free Public Library)
Not Dick. Charles.
The Library was chartered in 1907: This Litho-Chrome postcard dates to the same year, but I do not know at what point the Library was housed in the town court house as shown.
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Cheney's 1912 bequest sat, earning interest, until 1922-3, when this attractive Mediterranean building was constructed. It bears a strong resemblance to the library in Fennimore, Wisconsin.
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This is a Koppel Color Card with slightly oversaturated color.
Jamestown (Prendergast Free Library)
Front and reverse of a 1906 Everett H. Ketchum postcard with a map back, showing the railroad lines of the Chautauqua district. Jamestown is at far right.
(L) Card with entire back, mailed in 1908.
(R) Thomas Studio chrome postcard with remarkably subdued colors.
Still in use--sorta.
According to the Library's site, it was built in 1891, and renovated in 1960.
In 1964, the wing was added for the Library, and the old building housed an art gallery, offices, meeting rooms, and storage space. The next additions came in 1968 and 1978: now the Romanesque building serves as the system headquarters.
(L, below) McClenathan Printery card with additional history, such as the early 1880 charter date, an 1889-1891 construction phase, and new (1963) wing with 1968 addition.
(R, below) Somewhat later Thomas Photography image published by Ann M. Smith.
Johnson City (Your Home Library)
In my collection, certainly the card from the library with the oddest name. It was mailed in 1924 but appears to be about a dozen years older.
It was published by A.M. Pierson of Binghamton, N.Y.
Keene
Unusual Shingle-style library, surprising in that it survives today. With an addition, it's still in use.
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This is another Eastern Illustrating Co. postcard, but with a fading image.
Keeseville
The building shown is still in use.
That's R. Prescott & Son Radio Fur[niture] in the background of this Fairbanks card.
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