LaPorte's Carnegie Library

Location: La Porte County Public Library, SW corner of 904 Indiana Avenue/US 35 & Maple Avenue, LaPorte. (LaPorte County, Indiana)

Installed: 2002 Indiana Historical Bureau and Friends of the LaPorte County Public Library

ID# : 46.2002.1

Text

Side one:

La Porte's first public library was established 1896. La Porte City School Board was awarded $27, 500 Carnegie grant 1916; by 1919 local support had been secured to meet grant requirements. Architect Wilson B. Parker designed the Neo-Classical style structure. Library opened in 1920 with 30, 000 volumes.

Side two:

Renovation and expansion designed by architect William Koster; building dedicated 1991. Original 1920 section retained. Library has played a major role in community's development. One of 1, 679 libraries built in U.S. with funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Indiana built more Carnegie libraries than any other state.

Keywords

Carnegie Library, Buildings and Architecture

Annotated Text

La Porte's first public library was established 1896.(1) La Porte City School Board was awarded $27, 500 Carnegie grant 1916; by 1919 local support had been secured to meet grant requirements. Architect Wilson B. Parker designed the Neo-Classical style structure.(2) Library opened in 1920 with 30, 000 volumes.(3)

Renovation and expansion designed by architect William Koster; building dedicated 1991. Original 1920 section retained.(4) Library has played a major role in community's development.(5) One of 1, 679 libraries built in U.S. with funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Indiana built more Carnegie libraries than any other state.(6)

(1) La Porte Herald, April 5, 1916, January 22, 1897

(2) La Porte Argus, August 14, 1919, unidentified clipping, 1919, unidentified clipping, August 1919; La Porte County Interim Report (Indianapolis, 1989), xxvi-xxvii, 80

(3) La Porte Herald, November 5, 1920; La Porte Daily Herald, November 6, 1920

(4 ) La Porte Herald-Argus, April 24, 1987; South Bend Tribune, October 28, 1990; Dedication Invitation September 8, 1991

(5) Cumulative evidence from sources

(6) Standard statement for all relevant markers