Civic Pride in a Lost America: Library Postcards
Public Libraries of Ohio
Cities R-Z
Ravenna
According to the Reed Memorial Library site, this building was dedicated in 1924. Expanded 1954-6. Expanded again in 1985-7.
(L) Card by the Tecraft Company.
(R) Linen finish Colourpicture card predates the library expansions.
Shelby (Marvin Memorial Library)
(L) Photo postcard mailed in 1910.
(R) Hugh C. Leighton post card.
The 1867 house was converted to a library sometime after 1897. In 1981, it was renovated and enlarged. It's still in use.
Sidney
Now served by the Amos Memorial Public Library.
Sidney's library history is amazingly contentious. Housed in the GAR's building, the aging vets refused to allow the library room to expand, and service--which had failed between 1879 and 1886 in a similar fight--was in jeopardy from 1898-1902.
Finally, Delia Amos Smith made a 1945 bequest which provided for a stable home for the Library--which in due course had taken over the GAR Monumental Building.
The 1958 (yes, 13 years intervened) building is still in service today.
Per Traveling through Time, this is a ca. 1900 view inside the Monumental Building.
Springfield (Warder Public Library)
(L) Early rendition without greenery.
(R) Glamorous 1939 Curt Teich linen finish card.
This 1890 building, in memory of Jeremiah and Ann A. Warder, was not replaced until 1989. It lives on as the Warder Literacy Center.
Toledo
There are dozens of postcards of this Romanesque building.
These aren't really my favorites, but more like the most illustrative.
Replaced ca. 1940.
Main Toledo Library
(L) Spiffy linen card from the '40s.
(R) Later, chrome card.
Built in 1940. Renovated and expanded in 2001.
Now known as the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library.
Troy
Now part of the Troy-Miami County Public Library.
Service dates from 1896: according to the postcard (L), it was the former home of Mary J. Hayner, which was gifted to the city. The Library took it on in 1943. It has been replaced (1976), and I do know know if it is extant.
(L) Post-1962 DuKane Press postcard with image from Dohm's Portrait Studio.
(R) The Brower Stationers postcard calls this 'One of the most beautiful of its size in the country.'
Twinsburg
Photo postcard shows a street view, which divulges that the Library had to share a building with a barber!
Mercifully, this situation has been remedied. The most recent building seems to date from the 1990s.
Upper Sandusky
According to the card reverse, this building replaced the Carnegie Library in 1986. In my opinion, this is stylistically an homage to that Prairie-style building.
There is no statement of responsibility on the card reverse. I believe that it was commissioned by the Library.
Urbana
There must be some historical reason why both Illinois and Ohio have an community named Urbana in Champaign County. I just don't know it yet.
This is the Morhlite Building, in use from 1932-1996.
(L) Wayne Paper Box & Prtg. postcard.
(R) Chrome postcard
Van Wert (Brumback Library)
The Library, dedicated in 1901, was built with monies from the estate of John Sanford Brumback.
This exemplifies Gothic/Romanesque architecture, and according to the library's site, the building has a Ludowici tile roof. Still in use, but renovated twice (1917 and 1991).
Could any other two postcards of the same building look less alike?
(L) Wayne Paper Box and Printing card.
(C) R.C. Holmes 'chrome' card in vertical format.
According to the card back:
This was the first county library in the United States. It was the gift of John Sanford Brumback. Since 1901 it has given library service to the county, including all schools.
The card's photo was taken by Orin Deal, and the card printed by DuKane Press.
Interior views of its huge reading room. With a barrel vaulted ceiling and tile floors, even dropping a pencil could cause an uproar.
There are magazine racks toward the back, and the reference desk to the right. A small card catalog is at the back of the staff area.
(L) There is no clue as to the identity of the card's publisher.
(R) The similar C.J. Haven card reveals that this may have been a closed-stack arrangement of books.
Wapakoneta
Captioned: Blume High School and Library, Wapakoneta, Ohio.
Now the Auglaize County District Public Library.
The Blume Memorial Public Library opened in 1925. Instead of enlarging the building, extra service comes from bookmobiles and five branches.
Linen finish Curt Teich card, mailed in 1951, does not clarify which building has which function, but I suspect the building at right is the Library.
Wellington (Herrick Public Library)
Donation by Myron T. Herrick in 1902. Renovated in 1929, after another Herrick bequest, and in 1986. Still in use.
This is an attractive dark brick building featuring large windows containing diamond panes.
Photo postcard from the 1940s.
Monochrome card, likely the oldest of the trio.
Photo postcard is likely from the late 1930s or early 1940s.
Note the misspelling Wellingtoh.
Willard
Built in 1962, The Willard Memorial Library, now a branch of the Huron County Library, has a rather timeless style about it, with some Prairie touches balancing out the cream brick so common in Mid-century Modern buildings. Its interior was renovated in 2016.
The Dexter Press card has a Tom Root photograph.
Youngstown (McMillan Public Library)
Replaced by a Carnegie building sometime after 1907. Oddly, the McMillan name was perpetuated.
This was an impressive Gothic building. It seems like this had to have been the Reuben McMillan residence, because its design seems totally unsuitable to library service.
The ca. 1907 postcard was printed in Germany for the Souvenir Post Card Co., before its merger with Valentine.