Phoenix Carnegie Library and Library Park

Last updated
Phoenix Carnegie Library and Library Park
P-Phoenix Carnegie Library and Library Park-1907.jpg
USA Arizona location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location1101 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona
Coordinates 33°26′51″N112°5′10″W / 33.44750°N 112.08611°W / 33.44750; -112.08611 Coordinates: 33°26′51″N112°5′10″W / 33.44750°N 112.08611°W / 33.44750; -112.08611
Area4 acres (1.6 ha)
Built1908 (1908)
Architect Millard & Creighton; William R. Norton; Reeves & Baillie
NRHP reference No. 74000456 [1]
Added to NRHPNovember 19, 1974

The Phoenix Carnegie Library and Library Park, now known as the Carnegie Center, is a historic site in Phoenix, Arizona. Completed in 1908, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Contents

Background

The first Phoenix public library opened in the spring of 1898 thanks to the efforts of the Friday Club, whose members collected books and secured two rooms on the second floor of the Fleming Block, one of the largest office buildings in downtown Phoenix. This venture was so well received that the following spring, the Phoenix Library Association was formed and the expanded library moved into a room in Phoenix City Hall which had been vacated by the legislative assembly, having moved to the new capitol building made the rooms available for other purposes. The books of the library were now for the first time catalogued by the Dewey system. [2]

The success of the library made necessary a more permanent and structured arrangement, and the Library Association consequently endeavored to transfer the project to the city. However, this could not be accomplished until March 1901 after an amendment to the territorial statutes. At this time, the Phoenix Public Library was established, with 1350 volumes. [2]

Since 1899 the Library Association had been unsuccessfully attempting to secure a grant from Andrew Carnegie, and in December 1901 the Phoenix Woman's Club joined the campaign. Some progress was made in March 1902 when the city agreed to put up the required 10% of the anticipated $25,000 grant and to levy an annual tax of 5 mills on the dollar. In June, the city agreed to furnish the site if the grant was received. [2]

Negotiations with Carnegie hit a snag when he saw the 1900 census report giving Phoenix a population of 5500, and decided that a grant of $15,000 would be sufficient. However, by the fall of 1903 a committee had gathered evidence to show that additions of land and population to Phoenix since 1900 had resulted in a population of 14,000. The committee also pointed out that the nearest public libraries were in Tucson and Prescott, leaving the entire Salt River Valley in need of this public service. Carnegie was convinced and agreed to the original sum of $25,000. [2]

Construction

In July 1904, the city accepted this offer and set about selecting a suitable site. The first site chosen was on Central Avenue north of Van Buren Street, but the money for the lots had to be donated within 45 days and when this could not be accomplished, a second site was chosen. This site was known as Neahr's Park and covered two blocks on West Washington Street between 10th and 12th Avenues, halfway between the court house and the capitol. The land was donated to the city by Mr. Neahr. [2] In the spring of 1905 the city approved the plans for the new building as drawn by Phoenix architect William R. Norton. [3] William H. Reeves, of Reeves & Baillie, Peoria, Illinois, revised the plans at the request of the city council. A board of trustees was appointed in August. [2] By 1906, the project had been turned over to Millard & Creighton, and plans were approved in April. [4]

Later history

The red brick building was completed and opened for business on February 14, 1908, and continued in use as a library until the new main library was built in 1952. [2] Since that time it has been used for various purposes, including a recreation hall, social service center, storage facility, and a homeless shelter. In 1984, the building was restored at a cost of $1.3 million, and the state leased it from the city in 1985. In 1987, the building was reopened as the Arizona Hall of Fame Museum. Due to safety concerns, it was closed in 2001. It reopened in 2003 and has since been used as administrative and museum space for the Arizona State Library. [5] It is home to the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame.

Related Research Articles

Chandler, Arizona City in Arizona, United States

Chandler is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, and a suburb of the Phoenix, Arizona, Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). It is bordered to the north and west by Tempe, to the north by Mesa, to the west by Phoenix, to the south by the Gila River Indian Community, and to the east by Gilbert. As of 2019, the population was estimated at 261,165 according to the United States Census Bureau.

Seattle Public Library

The Seattle Public Library (SPL) is the public library system serving the city of Seattle, Washington. Efforts to start a Seattle library had commenced as early as 1868, with the system eventually being established by the city in 1890. The system currently comprises 27 branches, most of which are named after the neighborhoods in which they are located. The Seattle Public Library also includes Mobile Services and the Central Library, which was designed by Rem Koolhaas and opened in 2004. The Seattle Public Library also founded the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library (WTBBL), which it administered until July 2008.

Arizona State Capitol State capitol building of the U.S. state of Arizona

The Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix, Arizona, United States, was the last home for Arizona's Territorial government, until Arizona became a state in 1912. Initially, all three branches of the new state government occupied the four floors of the statehouse. As the state expanded the branches relocated to adjacent buildings and additions. The 1901 portion of the Capitol is now maintained as the Arizona Capitol Museum with a focus on the history and culture of Arizona. The Arizona State Library which occupied most of the 1938 addition until July 2017 re-opened in late 2018 as a part of the Arizona Capitol Museum.

Oregon Public Library United States historic place

The Oregon Public Library is located in Oregon, Illinois, United States, the county seat of Ogle County. The building is a public library that was constructed in 1909. Prior to 1909, Oregon's library was housed in different buildings, none of which were designed to house a library. The library was built using a grant from wealthy philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The grant was obtained after Oregon's citizens voted to change Oregon's library from a city library to a township library. The building was completed by 1908 but the library did not begin operation until 1909.

Illinois Carnegie Libraries Multiple Property Submission United States historic place

Illinois Carnegie Libraries Multiple Property Submission was a National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Submission in the U.S. state of Illinois, approved on February 16, 1994. The submission included a group of sixteen Illinois libraries whose construction was funded by early 20th century philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The sixteen libraries were all added to the National Register of Historic Places between 1978 and 2002.

Ludington Public Library Public library in Ludington, Michigan, US

The Ludington Public Library is one of the two branches of the Mason County District Library administrative system. This library, as the main branch, is located in downtown Ludington, in Mason County in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The library started as an idea that in 1872 formed an association. A trial for a free reading room was undertaken and later a small building was acquired for a definitive reading room.

Carnegie Art Museum (Oxnard, California) Public art museum in Oxnard, California

The Carnegie Art Museum is a public art museum owned by the City of Oxnard, California in the building originally occupied by the Oxnard Public Library. The Neo-Classical building, located adjacent to Oxnard's Plaza Park, opened in 1907 as the Oxnard Public Library and was converted into an art museum in 1986. In July 1971, it became the first building in Ventura County and the first Carnegie library in California to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Davenport Public Library

The Davenport Public Library is a public library located in Davenport, Iowa. With a history dating back to 1839, the Davenport Public Library's Main Library is currently housed in a 1960s building designed by Kennedy Center architect Edward Durell Stone. The Davenport Public Library system is made up of three libraries—the Main Library at 321 Main Street; the Fairmount Branch Library at 3000 N. Fairmount Street; and the Eastern Avenue Branch Library at 6000 Eastern Avenue.

Kingston City Library United States historic place

The former Kingston City Library building is located on Broadway in the center of Kingston, New York, United States. It is a brick Carnegie library built in 1903 in the Classical Revival architectural style.

Old Colorado City Branch Carnegie Library

The Old Colorado City Library is a currently operating branch library of the Pikes Peak Library District. It is housed in a 1904 Carnegie Library that has been in continuous service as a library since opening December 7, 1904. The library is located at 2418 West Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80904, in the historic district of Old Colorado City. Current hours of operation, policies, and programming can be found through the Pikes Peak Library District website.

Greenville Carnegie Library United States historic place

The Greenville Carnegie Library is a historic library on the edge of downtown Greenville, Ohio, United States. A Carnegie library built for the community in the early 20th century, the library and an adjacent school building have been designated a historic site because of their landmark architecture.

Council Bluffs Public Library

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.

Ottumwa Public Library United States historic place

Ottumwa Public Library is a public library located in downtown Ottumwa, Iowa, United States. The current building was built in 1901. It is part of the Central Park area, which is the civic center of the community. It includes the Wapello County Courthouse, Ottumwa City Hall, and St. Mary of the Visitation Catholic Church. The library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

Peabody Township Library United States historic place

Peabody Township Library, also known under the older name of Peabody Township Carnegie Library, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1987. It is located in the Downtown Historic District of Peabody, Kansas, United States.

Colorado Springs Public Library–Carnegie Building United States historic place

The Colorado Springs Public Library–Carnegie Building is a Neo-classical library building in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Funded by the Andrew Carnegie Library Fund. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is associated with the City Beautiful movement.

Livermore Carnegie Library and Park United States historic place

The Carnegie Library at Livermore, California, opened in 1911 and continued in use as a library until 1966. It now hosts a historical museum and art gallery. The building was designed by William H. Weeks in the Greek Revival style and is included on the National Register of Historic Places. A weekly farmers' market takes place in the surrounding park.

Pittsfield Public Library United States historic place

The Pittsfield Public Library is located at 110 Library Street in Pittsfield, Maine. The building it occupies is a Beaux Arts building designed by Albert Randolph Ross, and was built in 1903-04 with funding assistance from Andrew Carnegie. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It is one of the state's oldest Beaux Arts buildings, and one of the most architecturally distinctive in the town.

Waterloo Public Library-East Side Branch United States historic place

The Waterloo Public Library-East Side Branch is a historic building located in Waterloo, Iowa, United States. The public library was established here in 1896. It operated out of two rented rooms, one on the east side of the Cedar River and other on the west side. The Carnegie Foundation offered a grant of $30,000 to build a new library, but disagreements erupted over whether to place the building on the east side or west side of the river. They then agreed to grant $40,000 for a mid-river building, or the same amount for two buildings. In the end they agreed to grant the community $24,000 to build this building and a similar amount for the west side branch. Waterloo architect John G. Ralston designed both buildings in the Neoclassical style. Both were dedicated on February 23, 1906. The single-story Bedford stone structure was built over a raised basement. It is one of the few stone buildings in Waterloo. The building has a central portico with paired Ionic columns. It is part of a larger central mass that is oriented from front to back and sits across the lower hipped roof.

Carnegie Library (Prescott, Arizona) United States historic place

Prescott, Arizona, founded in 1864, soon had a children's library that was a collection of books gathered by several women. A Prescott Library Association opened a public reading room space in 1870. But there was no regularly funded library until the Carnegie library at 125 E. Gurley Street was built in 1903. Its funding and construction was a project of the Monday Literary Society or Monday Club, a group formed in 1895, a group of women dedicated to the educational and cultural well-being of their community. It has also been known as Prescott Public Library and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places under that name. The replacement library, the current Prescott Public Library, built in 1974, is two blocks away.

Caldwell Carnegie Library (Caldwell, Idaho) United States historic place

The Caldwell Carnegie Library in Caldwell, Idaho, also known as the Caldwell Veterans Memorial Hall, was constructed from a grant by the Carnegie library foundation. The building opened in 1914 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places June 18, 1979. Its modest, 1-story Renaissance design is credited to Charles Carroll Soule and features reading rooms on either side of the main entrance. The building also includes a full basement with lecture hall.

References

  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Phoenix Carnegie Library and Library Park NRHP Nomination. 1974.
  3. Engineering Record 18 March 1905: 51.
  4. Engineering Record 21 April 1906: 54.
  5. "The Carnegie Center". http://www.azlibrary.gov/ .