Bemidji Carnegie Library
Welcome to the Bemidji Carnegie Library page. Here you will find a history of the Bemidji Carnegie Library, as well as other information about the building.
Bemidji Carnegie Library History
Collected and reported by G.S. Erdmann
From WPA Historical Project No. 6569
Collection of City Clerk’s minutes of Bemidji City Council Mtgs. Indicates the series of events that led up to securing a gift of $12,500 from Mr. Carnegie to build a library building.
Feb. 25, 1907 Mayor appoints members of Library Board as follows: J.M. Richards, W.B. Stewart, and Rev. Isaac Pearts.
Feb. 24, 1908 Verbal report and blue prints of committee on location of the proposed Carnegie Library building was made and referred to City Attorney to obtain from the town site company and Crookston Lumber Co their consent to locate same in city park.
March 30, 1908 a motion was carried to bind the city to furnish a site for the Carnegie Library and an assessment of $1,000 for its support and maintenance.
April 13, 1908 Resolution fixing the site for library approved. Certain portions ofFifth St.andCityParkto be vacated and set aside for building. Size of site: 50 ft. X 60 ft. fronting on Bemidji Avenue.
Jul. 27, 1908 Vacating resolution for the library site approved
Nov.2, 1908 Communication from the Secretary of Public libraries stating that Mr. Carnegie was please with plans submitted and agreeing to make amount of $10,000 available.
Nov. 21, 1908 Bemidji Daily Pioneer reported that theFargoarchitect, W.D. Gillespie, of the firm Haxby and Gillespie, had submitted plans that had been accepted by Andrew Carnegie. From the perspective of the building it is very pleasing design and will add very much to the beauty of our park and the city in general. “The entire building, when completed, will give to this city a solid, substantial structure that would be a credit to any city in the state.” These plans were drawn up, forwarded to Mr. Carnegie, and were approved by him. The plans were then returned toBemidjiand Mr. Carnegie authorized the library board, on approval of the president of the board and the architects, to draw as often as needed on the donation of $10,000 in erecting the building.
The Bemidji Library Board, as provided for in the city charter is composed of Mayor Pogue, ex-officio president; A.P. Ritchie superintendent of the city schools, secretary; J.M. Richards, Treas.; W.B. Stewart, superintendent of the county schools, ; Rev. S.E.P. White, pastor of the local Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Gillespie, the architect said: “It is to be regretted that the city has not placed a larger amount to the maintenance of this institution, as a city with a future that Bemidji has in prospect should have a better building that $10,000 will erect; but this is a move in the right direction and may possibly be the beginning of a larger and better building in the very near future.
Dec. 7, 1908 (City Clerk’s minutes) a resolution raising amount of annual maintenance fund to $1,500.
Dec. 7, 1908 (Bemidji Daily Pioneer) By the action of the city council raising their maintenance the obtaining of an additional $5000 from Mr. Carnegie was made possible for a total of $15,000. The council passed a resolution to authorize the board to purchase books, the amount not to exceed $100 in any one month. A.P. Ritchie reminded the council that he has filed with the City Clerk Maloy a request for additional books for the library and that nothing had been heard from the request.
1909 building the library continued.
Jan. 1, 1910 The building was complete and books were housed the Carnegie Public Library.
March 11, 1910 (Bemidji Daily Pioneer) The library was formally accepted on behalf of the board which will turn it over to the City ofBemidjifor use of the public. “The plans . . . originally contemplated a porch on either side of the stock room, overlooking the lake. It was the intention of the board and the architects to have these porches for occupancy in the evening when the sun shines into the building from the west, but Mr. Carnegie thought they were superfluous and the porches were cut out in order to get the building within the amount of Mr. Carnegie’s donation.
May 12, 1910 W.B. Stewart, On behalf of Carnegie Board, presents $12,000 gift from the steel magnate; Excellent Librarian, more books needed, Mayor, ladies of Improvement League and band publicly thanked; fine music and large crowd. BemidjiDaily Pioneer. For more details see file folder.
1910 – 1961 TheCarnegieBuildingwas used as a public library. The library moved to another site on November 28, 1961.
1969 The roof of the building was completely redone
Other information includes; a history of the Bemidji public library, sketched floor plan, summary of work done on the building at Fifth and Bemidji Ave. in 1972.
For some period of time the building was occupied by social service agencies.
1980 November 25, Bemidji Carnegie Library was recognized as an historic property and placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1985 TheBemidjiCommunity Arts Council and the Beltrami County Historical Society sponsored the 75th Anniversary Celebration of theCarnegieLibraryBuilding. Activities included presentation of a historical marker and an early 1900’s memorabilia exhibit.
1994 In the summer theBemidjicommunity Arts Council held an exhibit “Carnegie Revisited”.
2007 Information from an article in the May/June Beltrami County Historical Society Newsletter indicates many of the varied uses of the Carnegie Bldg during its Library days.
2008-9 The city of Bemidji, the Minnesota Historical Society, Charlie Nelson Fund for Historic Preservation and Historic Preservation Fund joined together to fund a $10,000 “Reuse Study” for the Carnegie Bldg.
2011 A copy of the the Bemidji Carnegie Library Reuse Study is available online through the Bemidji city website here -> Carnegie Library Reuse Study, for additional information on efforts to preserve the library you can also visit the Save the Carnegie Facebook Page.
