Olean Public Library

Last updated

The Old Olean Public Library
Olean Public Library Apr 10.JPG
Old Olean Public Library, April 2010
USA New York location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location116 S. Union St., Olean, New York
Coordinates 42°4′36″N78°25′50″W / 42.07667°N 78.43056°W / 42.07667; -78.43056
Built1909
Architect Tilton, Edward L.
Architectural style Beaux-Arts
NRHP reference No. 85001498 [1]
Added to NRHPJuly 11, 1985

The Old Olean Library is a historic beaux arts library located at 116 S. Union St. in Olean, Cattaraugus County, New York. The library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. [1] It is located in the Union and State Streets Historic District.

Contents

History

Olean Library Association

On March 25, 1871, the "Olean Library Association" was established by a small group of public-spirited citizens. The first meeting was held in Miss Lyon's school house on Laurens Street. In May 1871, the library settled in the rear of John G. Pelton's tailor shop (located on the west side of North Union Street, midway between Laurens and State streets). It was open only 1 day per week, Saturday from 1-9 PM. Annual dues were $2.00 for gentlemen and $1.00 for ladies. 697 books formed the collection. [2]

On September 30, 1878, the library moved to a new home under the supervision of Charles Gillingham. It was located in a room rented from P.J. Hastings in what was known as the Berg (or Birge, after Norman Birge, a harness maker who owned the block). Later, it moved to quarters on the second floor of the Exchange Bank building, and then to 102 Hamilton Street where it remained until 1889. [2]

Forman Library

On June 12, 1888, the library was renamed in honor of George V. Forman, who donated the property and building. [3] Forman was a founder of "Vandergrift, Forman & Company," which became part of the Standard Oil Company. [4] The library moved into its new home on Forman property on April 2, 1889.

"Old" Olean Public Library

On December 13, 1906, the charter which was granted by the Board of Regents of New York State named the institution "The Olean Public Library" and it became a free library. In April 1909, the library relocated to the second floor of City Hall while the "Carnegie Library" was being built on the Forman property. The cornerstone for Carnegie building was laid on July 3, 1909. [2]

Features

The library is a historic, built in 1909, with funds provided by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was one of 3,000 such libraries constructed between 1885 and 1919, and one of 107 in New York State. Carnegie provided $40,000 (equivalent to $1,303,000in 2022) toward the construction of the Olean library. The building was designed by architect Edward L. Tilton in the Beaux-Arts style. The interior features a grand stairway and entrance, large rooms, and central atrium. [5] The Carnegie building was opened May 23, 1910 and a period of growth in the size and scope of the collection and patronage began almost immediately. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. [1]

"New" Olean Public Library

In the early 1970s, a new site was secured for the library and on September 21, 1973, the library opened at 134 North Second Street in a former Loblaws Supermarket. The modern facility continues to meet the changing informational needs of the community. The mission of the Olean Public Library is to improve the community's quality of life by providing equal access to materials in various formats, programming and services for patrons of all ages, and a capable and professional staff available to assist members of the greater Olean community in support of their educational, informational, and leisure needs. [2]

Present day

The original NRHP listed "Olean Public Library" was occupied by the "Olean Historical Society" and the "Department of Aging" from 1974 to 1979. In 1982, the Olean Board of Education sold the property to Louis Marra, which made possible the opening of The Old Library Restaurant and "The Old Bed and Breakfast Library Inn." [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublin, Georgia</span> City in Georgia, United States

Dublin is a city and county seat of Laurens County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 16,074.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Post Office (Olean, New York)</span> United States historic place

US Post Office—Olean is a historic post office building located at Olean in Cattaraugus County, New York. It was designed and built in 1910-12 and is one of a number of post offices in New York State designed by the Office of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department, James Knox Taylor. It is a two-story masonry and steel frame building. Its Renaissance Revival design complements the adjacent Olean Public Library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Jackson Warner</span> American architect (1833-1910)

Andrew Jackson Warner, also known as A. J. Warner, was a prominent architect in Rochester, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rundel Memorial Library</span> United States historic place

The Rundel Memorial Building is a historic library building located at Rochester in Monroe County, New York. It is the original downtown site of the Rochester Public Library, and along with the Bausch & Lomb Library Building directly across the street, serves as the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County. It is framed in reinforced concrete and faced in smooth Indiana limestone. It consists of three main floors, a mezzanine, two underground levels, a catwalk level above the river, and a penthouse area for equipment. It was constructed between 1934 and 1936, and represents an integration of Beaux-Arts planning and massing with Art Deco detailing and stylization. The building is sited along the east side of the Genesee River directly above the Johnson and Seymour millrace and Rochester Subway. The building was built in part with monies from the estate of Morton W. Rundel and with a grant from the Public Works Administration.

Fulton Public Library is a historic library building located at Fulton in Oswego County, New York. It is a masonry structure built in 1905–1906 in the Beaux-Arts style. The building is built on a steeply sloped lot and is two stories at street level and four stories behind. It was designed and built with funds provided by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It is one of 3,000 such libraries constructed between 1885 and 1919, and one of 107 in New York State. Carnegie provided $15,000 toward the construction of the Fulton library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Dallas Central Library</span> Civic in Dallas, Texas

The former Dallas Public Library, now known as Old Dallas Central Library, is a multi-level civic structure located at 1954 Commerce Street in downtown Dallas, Texas (USA). It is located on the edge of the Farmers Market District and adjacent to Main Street Garden Park. It is a contributing property in the Dallas Downtown Historic District and the Harwood Street Historic District and, along with the adjacent Dallas Statler Hilton, represents the best block of mid-twentieth-century architecture in Dallas. It was part of Dallas Public Library.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrian Public Library</span> United States historic place

The Adrian Public Library is a historic structure located at 110 East Church Street in downtown Adrian, Michigan. Originally used as a library, it was designated as a Michigan Historic Site on December 14, 1976, and later listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 6, 1977. It is located within the Downtown Adrian Commercial Historic District and adjacent to the Adrian Engine House No. 1. Today, the building houses the Lenawee County Historical Society Museum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gloversville Free Library</span> United States historic place

The Gloversville Public Library, located at 58 East Fulton Street in Gloversville, Fulton County, New York, was constructed in 1904 with funds provided by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. It is one of 3,000 such Carnegie libraries constructed between 1885 and 1919, and one of 107 in New York State. Carnegie contributed $50,000 toward the cost to build. His name is inscribed on the building's entrance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Council Bluffs Public Library</span> Library in Iowa, United States

The Council Bluffs Public Library serves the residents of Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States, along with unincorporated and rural areas of Pottawattamie County. Several cities also contract with the library to provide services. It dates back to 1866. The library is currently located on Willow Avenue. The previous library building on Pearl Street was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Mowbray & Uffinger comprised an architectural partnership in New York City formed in 1895. Known for bank buildings and as vault engineers they designed over 400 banks in the pre-World War II era throughout the country. The principals were Louis Montayne Mowbray (1867-1921) and Justin Maximo Uffinger Sr. (1871-1948).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Randolph Ross</span> American architect

Albert Randolph Ross was an American architect, known primarily for designing libraries, especially those funded by Andrew Carnegie. His father, John W. Ross, was an architect based in Davenport, Iowa, and the architect of its city hall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rockland Public Library</span>

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bemidji Carnegie Library</span> United States historic place

The Bemidji Carnegie Library is a former library building in Bemidji, Minnesota, United States. It was built as a Carnegie library in 1909 and housed the city's public library until 1961. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 for its local significance in the themes of architecture and education. It was nominated for being a well-preserved example of a Carnegie library and of public Neoclassical architecture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fletcher Free Library</span> United States historic place

The Fletcher Free Library is the public library serving Burlington, Vermont. It is located at 235 College Street, in an architecturally distinguished Beaux-Arts building, constructed in 1902 with funding support from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Racine Heritage Museum</span> United States historic place

The Racine Heritage Museum is a historical museum building and former Carnegie library, located at 701 S. Main St. in downtown Racine, Wisconsin. Designed by John Mauran in the Beaux-Arts style, the building served as the Racine Public Library from 1904 until 1958, and has housed the Racine Heritage Museum since 1963. It is also the home of the Racine County Historical Society. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 20, 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George V. Forman</span> American lawyer

George V. Forman was a founder of VanderGrift, Forman & Company, which became part of the Standard Oil Company. Forman was also a prominent Buffalo banker in the late 1800s and early 1900s, founding the Fidelity Trust and Guaranty Company, which later merged with the Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company to become M&T Bank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union and State Streets Historic District</span> Historic district in New York, United States

Union and State Streets Historic District is a national historic district located at Olean in Cattaraugus County, New York. The district encompasses 17 contributing buildings in the central business district of Olean. The district developed between about 1866 and 1939, and includes buildings in a variety of architectural styles including Beaux-Arts, Queen Anne, and Art Deco. Located in the district are the separately listed Olean Post Office and Olean Public Library. Other notable buildings include the Former First National Bank, current Manufacturers Hanover Building by Mowbray and Uffinger, Original First National Bank of Olean, Masonic Temple by Warner and Brocket (1893), Olean House, and W.T. Grant Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monroe Carnegie Library</span> United States historic place

Monroe Carnegie Library, also known as Old Monroe Carnegie Library, is a historic Carnegie library located at Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana. It was built in 1917, and is a one-story, rectangular, Neoclassical style limestone building on a raised basement. The Monroe County History Center is a history museum the historic library building that was established as a Carnegie library. The museum is located on the site of Center School in the former Bloomington Public Library building. The library building is now home to the Monroe County Historical Society, their collection of artifacts, and their Genealogy Library. A historical marker is present at the site. The History Center is located at 202 East 6th Street. It is a tourist attraction.

Edgar Eugene Joralemon (1858–1937) was an architect in the U.S. The Drum Hill High School and Dunkirk School Number 7 are among the buildings he designed that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William H. McLean</span> American architect

William H. McLean was an American architect from Boston, Massachusetts. He is best known for the design of public libraries, many of which he designed as a member of the firm of McLean & Wright.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Library History". Olean Public Library. Archived from the original on January 8, 2018.
  3. The Oleander Review and Outlook. Olean, NY: Association of Olean Old Timers, in Behalf of the Olean Historical Association, Inc. 1922. p. 17. Retrieved October 29, 2015.
  4. "Candace F. Byers Becomes a Bride". The New York Times. June 22, 1986. Retrieved October 28, 2015.
  5. Claire Ross (February 1985). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Olean Public Library". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation . Retrieved June 14, 2009.See also: "Accompanying 17 photos".
  6. "About the Old Library". oldlibraryrestaurant.com. Retrieved October 29, 2015.