In the late 1800s, steel magnate Andrew Carnegie generously donated funds across the United States to help construct nearly 1700 public libraries. In those days, a clerk would actually go get your books, but under the new open stack system, patrons could actually browse and enjoy the research for themselves. 164 Carnegie libraries were built in the state of Indiana (more than any other state). The first was built in the city of Goshen in 1903 and is currently used as the City Hall.
In order for a community to receive the grant to build the library, they had to show a need for it, have a piece of land, and establish a tax that would help to generate funds to maintain it. Of the 164 libraries built in Indiana, 18 were either demolished for a newer building or a highway, burned down, or even destroyed by tornado. 50 buildings were converted to town halls, city buildings, arts centers, and even a private residence. 96 remain open — many having been updated and added to over the years.
I thought it would be a fun project as I drive around the state in all my journeys to catalog the various Carnegie Library buildings that I encounter and share photographs and information.
LIGONIER PUBLIC LIBRARY
300 S. Main Street, Ligonier, IN.
April 8, 1907. $10,000. Renovated 2013.
SYRACUSE PUBLIC LIBRARY
115 E. Main St., Syracuse, IN.
April 3, 1917. $10,000.
LAGRANGE PUBLIC LIBRARY
203 W. Spring St., LaGrange, IN.
November 9, 1916. $12,500. Renovation 2010.
LAPORTE PUBLIC LIBRARY
904 Indiana Ave., LaPorte, IN.
March 31, 1916. $27,500. Renovation 2017.
WESTVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
153 W. Main St., Westville, IN.
December 8, 1913. $8,000.
NEW CARLISLE [TOWN HALL]
124 E. Michigan St., New Carlisle, IN.
September 14, 1917. $9,000.
MISHAWAKA CARNEGIE LIBRARY [EVENT CENTER]
122 N. Hill St., Mishawaka, IN.
January 6, 1915. $30,000.
MILFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY
101 N. Main St., Milford, IN.
December 3, 1915. $10,000.
GOSHEN [CITY HALL]
202 N. 5th St., Goshen, IN.
January 5, 1901. $25,000.
Goshen was the first Carnegie Library built in Indiana.
WARSAW PUBLIC LIBRARY
310 E. Main St., Warsaw, IN.
September 29, 1915. $15,000.
PIERCETON PUBLIC LIBRARY
101 Catholic St., Pierceton, IN.
December 3, 1915. $10,000.
CULVER-UNION TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
107 N. Main St. Culver, IN.
January 6, 1915. $10,000.
MONTEREY-TIPPECANOE TOWNSHIP LIBRARY
6260 E. Main St., Monterey, IN.
April 3, 1917. $5,000.
NORTH JUDSON – WAYNE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
208 Keller Ave., North Judson, IN.
September 14, 1917. $10,000.
PULASKI COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY – WINAMAC
121 S. Riverside Dr., Winamac, IN.
January 6, 1911. $10,000.
PRIVATE RESIDENCE – KENDALLVILLE
124 E. Rush St., Kendallville, IN.
July 13, 1913. $12,500.
AKRON CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
205 E. Rochester St., Akron, IN.
May 13, 1913. $12,500.
ROANN-PAW PAW PUBLIC LIBRARY
240 S. Chippewa Rd., Roann, IN.
June 11, 1914. $10,000.
WABASH CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
88 W. Hill St., Wabash, IN.
March 7, 1901. $20,000.
LAW FIRM – NORTH MANCHESTER
204 W. Main St., North Manchester, IN.
April 8, 1910. $10,000.
This was fun – I was taking photos of the outside, and the owner came out and said, “Hey, do you want to see inside?” Naturally I said yes, so he gave me a tour of the offices and the amazing upstairs area.
HOBART HISTORICAL SOCIETY
706 E. 4th St., Hobart, IN.
January 14, 1914. $16,000.
Open 1915–1968, the only Tudor-Revival building in Hobart, now used by the Hobart Historical Society as a museum of local history.
EAST CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
1008 W. Chicago Ave., East Chicago, IN.
January 13, 1903. $40,000.
EAST CHICAGO ACADEMY OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
3605 Grand Ave., East Chicago, IN.
January 13, 1903. $20,000.
TCB GAME STORE
44 E. Park Dr., Huntington, IN.
December 21, 1901. $25,000.
WELLS COUNTY COURTHOUSE ANNEX
223 W. Washington St., Bluffton, IN.
January 13, 1903. $13,000.
MONTPELIER-HARRISON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
301 S. Main St., Montpelier, IN
February 21, 1907. $10,000.
WINCHESTER COMMUNITY LIBRARY
125 N. East St., Winchester, IN
April 23, 1906. $12,000.
MUNCIE PUBLIC LIBRARY
301 E. Jackson St., Muncie, IN
March 8, 1901. $55,000.
HARTFORD CITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
314 N. High St., Hartford City, IN
January 22, 1902. $16,000.
GAS CITY – MILL TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
135 E. Main St., Gas City, IN
January 2, 1913. $12,500.
MARION PUBLIC LIBRARY
600 S. Washington St., Marion, IN
February 18, 1901. $50,000.
PRIVATE RESIDENCE
802 Jefferson St., Rochester, IN
December 20, 1904. $15,000.
ROYAL CENTER – BOONE TWP PUBLIC LIBRARY
203 N. Chicago St. Royal Center, IN
September 25, 1914. $10,000.
KEWANNA PUBLIC LIBRARY
210 E. Main St., Kewanna, IN
May 21, 1913. $8,000.
PERU PUBLIC LIBRARY
102 E. Main St., Peru, IN
May 8, 1901. $25,000.
WALTON-TIPTON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
110 W. Main St., Walton, IN
November 17, 1914. $10,000.
FLORA-MONROE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
109 N. Center St., Flora, IN
February 3, 1917. $10,000.
DELPHI PUBLIC LIBRARY
222 E. Main St., Delphi, IN
December 30, 1904. $10,000.
BROOKSTON-PRAIRE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
111 W. Second St., Brookston, IN
September 29, 1915. $10,000.
MONTICELLO HISTORICAL SOCIETY
101 S. Bluff St., Monticello, IN
January 16, 1906. $10,000.
MONON TOWN & TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
427 N. Market St., Monon, IN
December 8, 1913. $10,000.
FRANCESVILLE-SALEM TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
201 W. Montgomery St., Francesville, IN
April 19, 1915. $9,000.
CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY OF STEUBEN COUNTY
322 S. Wayne St., Angola, IN
March 27, 1909. $10,000.
This was wild because you can not see the original building, but they actually built an entire building around the original Carnegie Library and it is preserved inside the new structure.
DEKALB COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
201 E. Main St., Butler, IN
December 8, 1913. $10,000.
No longer a library, this Carnegie Library is being used for the DeKalb County Historical Society. Hopefully it will be restored as it looked a little worse for wear.
WATERLOO – GRANT TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
300 S. Wayne St., Waterloo, IN
March 14, 1913. $9,000.
This place was beautiful and pristine with a tasteful addition.
GARRETT PUBLIC LIBRARY
107 W. Houston St., Garrett, IN
March 14, 1913. $10,000.
CARNEGIE CENTER
301 N. Van Rensselaer St., Rensselaer, IN
January 13, 1903. $12,000.
This former library is now a center for the arts.
OXFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY
201 E. Smith St., Oxford, IN
January 14, 1914. $8,000.
BENTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
102 N. Van Buren Ave., Fowler, IN
April 11, 1906. $7,500.
BOSWELL-GRANT TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
101 E. Main St., Boswell, IN
November 30, 1910. $8,000.
Across the street is a watertower that reads: Bowsell – Hub of the Universe
EARL PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY
102 E. 5th St., Earl Park, IN
November 11, 1911. $7,500.
KENTLAND-JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
201 E. Graham St., Kentland, IN
December 2, 1909. $10,000.
MARTIAL ARTS STUDIO
512 E. Commercial Ave., Lowell, IN
March 11, 1918. $12,500.
This former library is now a martial arts studio.
CARNEGIE CENTER
223 S. Main St., Crown Point, IN
February 28, 1906. $12,000.
This former library is now office space for the Crown Point library system.
CONVERSE-JACKSON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
100 S. Jefferson St., Converse, IN
November 9, 1916. $9,000.
ELWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY
124 N. 16th St., Elwood, IN
October 3, 1901. $30,000.
This former library is currently vacant.
ALEXANDRIA-MONROE PUBLIC LIBRARY
117 E. Church St., Alexandria, IN
April 26, 1903. $14,000.
This library is celebrating 120 years in 2023.
ANDERSON CENTER FOR THE ARTS
32 W. 10th St., Anderson, IN
April 11, 1902. $50,000.
This Beaux Arts-style former library is now a beautiful art center.
NOBLESVILLE CITY HALL
16 S. 10th St., Noblesvile, IN
December 29, 1903. $12,500.
This former library is now a part of the Noblesville City Hall.
CAVE & CO. PRINTING
104 W. Main St., Westfield, IN
April 8, 1910. $9,000.
This former library is now a local print shop.
SHERIDAN PUBLIC LIBRARY
214 Main St., Sheridan, IN
December 7, 1911. $12,500.
HAMILTON NORTH PUBLIC LIBRARY
100 S. Walnut St., Atlanta, IN
May 15, 1916. $10,000.
KIRKLIN PUBLIC LIBRARY
115 N. Main St., Kirklin, IN
May 8, 1914. $7,500.
BROOK IROQUOIS-WASHINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
100 W. Main St., Brook, IN
May 21, 1913. $7,000.
HEBRON PUBLIC LIBRARY
201 W. Sigler St., Hebron, IN
September 14, 1917. $10,000.
COLFAX-PERRY TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY
207 S. Clark St., Colfax, IN
September 29, 1915. $9,000.
DARLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
203 W. Main St., Darlington, IN
February 16, 1915. $10,000.
FRANKFORT COMMUNITY PUBLIC LIBRARY
208 W. Clinton St., Frankfort, IN
November 24, 1905. $22,500.
The original Carnegie section of this library is a teen area downstairs and children’s area upstairs. The upstairs has been restored to beautiful ceiling heights and columns and beautiful plaster work. The original staircase remains. The library is also connected to a theatre. According to one of the librarians who has worked there for a while, the place is haunted. Several sightings of people and orbs on camera have been witnessed over the years.
LINDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY
102 S. Main St., Linden, IN
January 28, 1916. $7,500.
CARNEGIE MUSEUM OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
222 S. Washington St., Crawfordsville, IN
March 8, 1902. $25,000.
This beautiful building is now home to the Carnegie Library Museum of Montgomery County, IN. They have refurbished the upstairs portion back to the original terrazzo flooring and high ceilings and it features rotating displays and gallery space. There is a kids area in the lower level and a beautiful and unique mural in the entrance to the museum.
THORNTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY
124 N. Market St., Thorntown, IN
September 27, 1914. $10,000.
ATTICA PUBLIC LIBRARY
305 S. Perry St., Attica, IN
January 13, 1903. $10,000.
WILLIAMSPORT CARNEGIE LIBRARY (Private Residence)
Fall St., Williamsport, IN
March 31, 1916. $8,000.
WEST LEBANON PUBLIC LIBRARY
200 N. High St., West Lebanon, IN
April 19, 1915. $7,500.
COVINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
622 S. 5th St., Covington, IN
March 14, 1913. $10,000.
