Michigan Library Postcards

Library postcards again are clamoring to be shared.  Here are some from Michigan, one of which I visited many times between 1967-1973 and which was sent to me in 1968.  Here's an interesting website I found while doing research for these cards:  Carnegie Library Buildings - Waymarking

Adrian Michigan Carnegie Library postcard c1910

mailed January 15, 1915 to Mrs. P.H. Smith, Vicksburg, Michigan

Dear Cousin,
I expect you are quite busy with your school work.  I am taking music lessons in Adrian and it keeps me busy.  Vilante goes to school too I expect.  Love to all.  Luna

Adrian was quite proud of their library for which they received a Carnegie grant of $27,500.  The library opened in 1909 and served as the library until 1978 when the City remodeled a J.C.Penney store to serve as a new library.  The Carnegie building is now the Lenawee Historical Society Museum and part of Adrian's Historic District.  A slide show about the former library can be seen here.  The building is a combination of Mission Revival Style and Richardson Romanesque architecture.

Detroit Carnegie Library postcard c1930 unmailed

Detroit received $750,000 in Carnegie funds for a central library in 1901 although it did not open until 1921.  Wings were added and opened in 1963.  This building still stands as a public library and contains administrative offices for the library system.

Kalamazoo MI Library postcard c1965

sent to Catherine March 24, 1968

[mailed March 24, 1968]
Greetings from K.  The weather here on this fair arcadian hill has been miserable - (I guess it has been bad everywhere.)  Working for Maintenance has been just what I thought it would be - you sit around talking for half the time and the other half you goof off.  Well enjoy your vacation.  --Dave [Stone]

Dave, from Portland Oregon, was spending our freshman spring break working for the college maintenance department.  As you can read, he had a good sense of humor.  I have no idea what happened to him after college.

A history of the Kalamazoo library system can be found here, but to summarize the city built a Romanesque structure in 1893 with a $50,000 donation from a benefactor which served as a library until 1959 when the library opened in the less imposing building shown on the card above.

Ludington MI Carnegie Library postcard c1910

mailed Aug. 20, 1934 to Miss Mary Patterson

[mailed August 20, 1934]
Dear Mary, I'm visiting Ruth for a week or so.  It's very chilly up here, but delightful.  Thank you for your letter.  I will answer as soon as I can.  Don't work too hard and good luck at the fair.  Love, Estelle 


Ludington, which received a Carnegie grant of $15,000, is about 100 miles north of Grand Rapids on Lake Michigan.  Located on US-10 and US-31, Ludington is the county seat of Mason County and had a population in 2000 of 8,357.  This building, of square colonial architecture combined with Romanesque arched windows and doors, opened c1906.  In the 1970's Ludington spent $300,000 on an addition to the library.

*****
Carnegie Libraries in Michigan = 61
Catherine's Collection = 3 (5%)

Total blogged to date = ME, MA, MT & MI
Carnegie Libraries = 144
Catherine's Collection = 9 (6%)