Orchestra Hall in Chicago

Postcard US-4029700 to Germany was a 15¢ postal card in the Historic Preservation Series saluting Chicago's Orchestra Hall, home to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1904. The indicium shows the interior of the hall where the first-day ceremonies were held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday October 19, 1990. The hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 21, 1978, and designated as a National Historic Landmark on April 19, 1994.

Vulcan Statue in Birmingham, Alabama

Postcard US-3038799 from Alabama shows the Vulcan statue, the largest cast iron statue in the world, and the city symbol of Birmingham, Alabama that reflects the city's heritage in the iron and steel industry. The 56-foot or 17-meter tall statue depicts the Roman God Vulcan, god of the fire including the fire of volcanoes, also god of metalworking and the forge. It was created as Birmingham's entry for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 World's Fair) in St. Louis, Missouri. Vulcan is often depicted with a blacksmith's hammer, as in this case while his left hand held a hammer at his side. According to Wikipedia, "the statue's naked buttocks have been source of humor for many years. A novelty song, Moon Over Homewood, refers to the fact that the statue moons the neighboring suburb of Homewood, Alabama." It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on July 6, 1976.

Carnegie Public Library in San Bernardino

Postcard US-2698983 to Wisconsin, US shows Carnegie Public Library in San Bernardino, California, with the Courthouse in the background. Efforts to establish a public library had continued intermittently since San Bernardino was incorporated in 1869. Carnegie offered a $20,000 grant in 1902.  An architectural competition was held where plans submitted by architects were displayed; and citizens voted for their favorite plans. Architects Burnham and Bliesner won the competition with a classical Revival style building plan.

The library was opened on August 10, 1904. In 1920, the Carnegie Corporation provided an additional $7,600 grant with the city issuing a $10,000 bond as the matching fund. The library was closed in 1957 as the building was declared unsafe; it was demolished next year. A new library was completed in 1960.

The postcard, a reproduction of a vintage postcard c. 1915, was purchased at Zazzle.