Carnegie Library

Carnegie Library is a limestone building with a domed rotunda and decorative marble details throughout its two-story structure. The design shows clear Beaux-Arts styling with several fireplaces positioned across the interior spaces.

The building opened in 1903 as Indiana's first Carnegie Library, built through funding provided by Andrew Carnegie. It was part of a larger program that supported the creation of public libraries across the country during that era.

The building shows how public libraries in the early 1900s were designed to bring education and books to everyone in the community. Walking through the space today, you can see how the architecture itself was meant to encourage people to read and think.

The building now houses city offices following major restoration work in 2001 while keeping its original architectural features intact. Since it functions as an active municipal building, hours may vary depending on government operations.

Indiana received more Carnegie library grants than any other state, with 164 public libraries funded through this program between 1901 and 1918. This concentration made the state a hub for Carnegie's library movement in the Midwest.