Oakland Public Library (Oakland, Maine)

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Oakland Public Library
Oakland Public Library, Oakland, ME.jpg
CountryUnited States
TypePublic
Established1915
Location18 Church St., Oakland, Maine
Collection
Size33,000
Access and use
Circulation28,000
Population served6,240
Other information
Budget$134,659
Staff3
Oakland Public Library
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Location18 Church St., Oakland, Maine
Coordinates 44°32′47″N69°43′11″W / 44.54639°N 69.71972°W / 44.54639; -69.71972 Coordinates: 44°32′47″N69°43′11″W / 44.54639°N 69.71972°W / 44.54639; -69.71972
Arealess than one acre
Built1915 (1915)
ArchitectCoombs, Harry S.
Architectural styleClassical Revival
MPS Maine Public Libraries MPS
NRHP reference # 00000375 [1]
Added to NRHPApril 14, 2000

The Oakland Public Library, serving the town of Oakland, Maine, is located at 18 Church Street, in an architecturally distinguished building designed by Harry S. Coombs in Classical Revival style and built in 1915. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. [1] The library underwent a major renovation and expansion in 2003.

Oakland, Maine Town in Maine, United States

Oakland is a town in Kennebec County in the U.S. state of Maine. The population was 6,240 at the 2010 census. Gateway to the Belgrade Lakes region, Oakland is 4 miles (6 km) west of Waterville and approximately 18 miles (29 km) north of Augusta, the state capital.

Harry S. Coombs American architect

Harry S. Coombs (1878-1939) was an American architect practicing in Lewiston, Maine. He was the son of and successor to architect George M. Coombs.

National Register of Historic Places Federal list of historic sites in the United States

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred in preserving the property.

Contents

Architecture and history

The Oakland Public Library stands on the east side of Church Street in Oakland's central village. It is a handsome Classical Revival single-story brick building, covered by a hip roof. Its front is three bays wide, with a projecting entry vestibule. Stairs lead up to a recessed entrance, flanked by concrete columns and wide brick corner pilasters. This is topped by a full modillioned pediment, whose cornice detail encircles the building. The windows in the side bays have three sections, with a bracketed sill. [2]

Oakland's library was founded in 1891, and was originally located in Memorial Hall. By 1911, it had outgrown the space available there, and a local businessman petitioned Andrew Carnegie for a grant to build a dedicated building. Carnegie rejected the first request, apparently under the mistaken apprehension that the Memorial Hall space was sufficient for the library's needs. In 1912, he acceded to make a grant, provided the town would ensure its maintenance. The Carnegie Foundation and the town committee then had further exchanges related to the building's design, and it was not until 1914 that the plans of architect Harry S. Coombs were finally approved. [2] Land for the new library was donated by Alice Benjamin and it was completed in 1915. Built to house 4,000 volumes, the collection had grown by the 1990s to more than 16,000 books. In 2003, the size of the library was doubled, providing handicap accessibility and improved parking. [3]

Memorial Hall (Oakland, Maine) United States historic place

Memorial Hall is a historic civic building at Church and West School Streets in Oakland, Maine. It was built in 1870 as a memorial to the community's American Civil War dead. It is a remarkably sophisticated example of Italian-Gothic architecture for a rural community, expensive to build, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Andrew Carnegie American businessman and philanthropist

Andrew Carnegiekar-NAY-gee was a Scottish-American industrialist, business magnate, and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans in history. He became a leading philanthropist in the United States and in the British Empire. During the last 18 years of his life, he gave away $350 million to charities, foundations, and universities – almost 90 percent of his fortune. His 1889 article proclaiming "The Gospel of Wealth" called on the rich to use their wealth to improve society, and stimulated a wave of philanthropy.

See also

National Register of Historic Places listings in Kennebec County, Maine Wikimedia list article

This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Kennebec County, Maine.

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References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 Kirk Mohney (1999). "NRHP nomination for Josiah K. Parsons Homestead". National Park Service . Retrieved 2016-06-14. with photos from 1999
  3. "Oakland Public Library". Town of Oakland. Retrieved 2016-06-14.