Eureka Carnegie Library

Last crawled date: 2 years, 11 months ago

Eureka was the first city to finance a public library under California's 1878 Rogers Act. Earlier Eureka libraries dating from 1859 had lapsed and revived, but even after city support was obtained the library was housed in rented quarters. In 1901 Carnegie funding was sought, and an offer of $20,000 was received. Prominent local architects Knowles Evans and B.C. Tarver won an architectural competition; Ambrose Foster was the contractor. When building costs exceeded the grant an additional $10,000 was unsuccessfully sought from Carnegie. Since 1972 several library administration and historical uses have shared the space, still impressive with the colorful tiled floor of the portico extending to the interior where two story solid redwood columns circle the rotunda. The dome has been removed; a skylight remains. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. #Carnegie #Library