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Carnegie Library
By Cherisse Brady
&
Krista Wassenaar
Andrew Carnegie
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Born November 25, 1835.
Moved to US in 1846.
Owned nation’s largest steel
plant.
Sold his company to J.P.
Morgan for $ 480 million.
Preached the Gospel of
Wealth.
Gave $ 311, 594, 230 in gifts to
various organizations.
Mankato, MN
Mankato, MN
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On April 7, 1894 the Mankato City Council passed a
resolution creating a Free Public Library.
The library was first housed in the 2nd floor of the YMCA at
313-315 S Front St.
Andrew Carnegie donated $40,000 to build a new public
library.
The city had to provide a suitable site and agree to
continuous support through local tax funds.
The City Council advertised a national competition for a
library design -- for a prize of $100.
The Structure in the Beginning
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The architects were Jardine, Kent, and
Jardine.
Its structure is one of only a few that
included a rotunda for the shelves of
books.
Used a steel beam and truss roofing
system to minimize the internal walls on
the 1st floor.
Downsized the original plan to come in
under budget
Contract price was $30,082 – without
electric wiring and fixtures.
The contractors were J.B. Nelsen &
Company.
Mankato stone was used exclusively for
the building.
The Interior in the Beginning
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$1,200 was budgeted for
interior paint decoration.
The painter was Odin Oyen.
Used a strange mix of
Egyptian, Greek, and
Renaissance styles.
Photographs of Oyen’s
exquisite work were taken and
exhibited at the national St.
Louis Exposition.
Interior Characteristics
The Structure Today
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Underwent more than
$450,000 of restoration work
and remodeling.
The exterior was sandblasted
and cleaned.
The building was brought into
fire code compliance.
Electrical re-wiring was done to
the entire building.
Plumbing was updated.
Roof was repaired.
The Carnegie Arts Center
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It is the largest visual arts center in south central
Minnesota.
Founded in 1979 by the Mankato Area Arts Council.
It purchased the historical Carnegie Library in 1981.
It is a community-based, nonprofit arts organization
committed to strengthening local visual arts.
It houses the works of local artists.
Works Cited:
Bobinski, George S. Carnegie Libraries: Their History and Impact on
American Public Library Development. Chicago: American
Library Association, 1969
• Berkin, Miller, Cherny, & Gormly, Making America: A History of the
United States, Vol. Two: Since 1865, Second Edition
• Carnegie, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie. Boston and
New York: Houghton and Mifflin Company, 1920
Special Thanks to:
• Rosemary Froen for the use of her grant request presentation.
• Blue Earth Historical Society for the use of their archives.
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