A stately Beaux-Arts limestone library rises proudly above a brick-paved street in Charleston, West Virginia, its octagonal cupola flying the Stars and Stripes while a lone early automobile — likely a Model T Ford — idles at the curb in this vivid hand-colored linen-era view. The Carnegie-funded Public Library of Charleston, completed in 1909, served as the intellectual heart of the Mountain State's capital; the ivy-clad façade, Corinthian pilasters, and pedimented dormers speak to an era when civic architecture was meant to inspire. Flanking commercial buildings, including a brick structure with large display windows to the right, ground the scene in the bustling downtown of the 1920s. The warm orange-and-teal sky is a hallmark of Tichnor Brothers' hand-coloring artistry, making this an especially decorative example of the publisher's "Quality Views" line. This card was never mailed, preserving its vibrant color in exceptional condition.