The Skowhegan Public Library opened in 1889. In 1881 former Maine governor, and Skowhegan resident, Abner Coburn bequeathed $30,000 for the construction of a library. Coburn's gift came with the provision that the town furnish twenty-five percent of the cost of the new library to create a memorial room to honor Skowhegan Civil War veterans.

The library was designed by Gardiner architect Edwin E. Lewis. The caption of this postcard reads, "Library, Skowhegan, Me." It was created as part of the Maine vacation series printed by the Tichnor Brothers printing company to bolster Maine tourism from about 1930-1945.