Did you know that Indianapolis is home to several historic Carnegie libraries?
If you’re not sure what that means, you don’t have to book it to the library to find out. We combed the stacks to put together a brief history of Carnegie libraries for you, along with where you can find them still standing today. Let’s get reading.
What are Carnegie libraries?
Does the name “Carnegie” sound familiar to you? Here’s your high school history refresh: Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist who, through creating the steel empire eventually known as U.S. Steel, became one of the richest Americans in history.
But Carnegie was also a philanthropist, and one cause that was close to his heart was libraries. His foundation accepted requests from communities across the world that wanted to build public libraries but had little funds to do so, expanding access to knowledge for millions of people. Between 1883 and 1929, Carnegie’s endeavors — among the most costly philanthropic activities in history — resulted in the construction of 1,689 libraries in various ornate styles across the US.
Once a Carnegie library, the East Washington branch is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo by Nyttend via Wikimedia Commons
Where can I find a Carnegie library in Indy?
Fun fact: Out all 50 states, Indiana is home to the largest number of Carnegie libraries, with a grand total of 164. While 19 are no longer standing, and many have been converted to other uses, there are still a handful you can visit around central Indiana.
- 2822 E. Washington St. | Built in 1911 | Now operating as the IPL East Washington Branch
- 1801 Nowland Ave. | Built in 1912 | Now operating as the IPL Spades Park Branch
- 70 N. Mount St. | Built in 1912 | Now operating as the Hawthorne Community Center: Center for Working Families
- 40 E. Main St., Carmel | Built in 1914 | Now operating as Woodys Library Restaurant
- 16 S. 10th St., Noblesville | Built in 1904 | Now operating as City Hall (with extensive renovations + additions)
- 104 E. Main St., Brownsburg | Built in 1912 | Now operating as the Hendricks County Solid Waste Management District office
- 100 W. North St., Greenfield | Built in 1904 | Now operating as Carnegie’s Restaurant
- 32 W. 10th St., Anderson | Built in 1905 | Now operating as the Anderson Museum of Art
- 115 N. Main St., Fortville | Built in 1918 | Now vacant
- 120 S. Center St., Plainfield | Built in 1913 | Now operating as the headquarters for Triangle Fraternity
- 104 W. Main St., Westfield | Built in 1911 | Now vacant
Did we miss a fun fact? In the spirit of Carnegie, we read all our emails.
