Legacy of Learning

Andrew Carnegie Lasting Impact on Northern Michigan

Nov. 27, 2015

Among the numerous historic buildings scattered across northern Michigan are the standout Carnegie libraries – beautiful, architecturally significant reminders of one of our nation’s greatest philanthropists.

Typically situated near a community’s center, many of these early 20th century structures continue to operate as community libraries, while others have found new life as museums, shops, offices or homes for nonprofit historical and art-related organizations.

Andrew Carnegie is responsible for the construction of many of northern Michigan’s libraries, along with more than 1,600 others across the United States.

Carnegie was once was the richest man in the nation, a poor, Scottish immigrant turned steel tycoon who credited his self-improvement and eventual rise to greatness to the access he had to a patron’s library.

He invested $60 million in the construction of libraries to provide free, public access to knowledge of all types regardless of a person’s social or economic rank. In today’s dollars, that gift would be equal to $1.6 billion.

FIRST-COME, MOST-SERVED

In 1902, Traverse City became the first community in the region to receive a Carnegie library grant. The gift of $20,000 was the most any community in the region ever received from the philanthropic foundation to build a library. Perry Hannah donated land alongside the Boardman River on Sixth Street to the City of Traverse City in 1904, and the next year the library opened there in late February.

"Delays came about from citizen opposition to the terms set by Carnegie – that the city would have to pledge $2,000 a year for library upkeep and materials – and once the stone needed for the building didn’t arrive on time, but the library opened with a majority of the community’s support," said Amy Barritt, special collections librarian at Traverse Area District Library.

The historic structure in the heart of Traverse City continued to function as the community’s library, offering resources and programs, with a building addition in the 1960s to make space for a children’s department and a meeting room. In the 1990s, Barritt said a grassroots citizens group formed to build a modern library with ample space for computer labs and other technologies to better meet the needs of the community.

That meant the library would leave its longtime home in the Carnegie building.

"When Traverse Area District Library vacated the building in December 1998 and moved to their new location on Woodmere "¦ there were no real plans in place for what would become of the Carnegie," she said. "The building was property of Traverse City, but there were a number of concerned citizens that wished to see the building in use, so it would not fall into disrepair."

Today the historic building is home to both the History Center of Traverse City and Crooked Tree Arts Center.

THERE’S NO USE

The Charlevoix Carnegie library was commissioned in 1907 for $10,000. It was constructed at the corner of State and Clinton streets, where Charlevoix State Bank sits today. The building closed in 1967 and was demolished to make room for new development, records show.

"It was so outmoded and very expensive to heat in the winter, plus no air conditioning in the summer when it could become like a sauna bath inside," said David Miles, curator of the Harsha House Museum, operated by the Charlevoix Historical Society.

Bank officials sought a place to build and local authorities constructed a new library building on Clinton Street, he said, where the nonprofit Circle of Arts organization is now housed.

"Today, of course, there would be an uproar over the destruction of a Carnegie library and some expensive method would probably be found to save it for some purpose," Miles said.

NEW USES FOR OLD BUILDINGS

East Jordan’s Carnegie building sits downtown, not far from the equally historic ironworks and within sight of the south arm of Lake Charlevoix. It’s no longer a library, but like Traverse City’s structure, it still serves a community function.

The Jordan River Arts Council owns the building and operates the nonprofit organization from the facility, hosting classes, workshops, exhibitions and other public events on a year-round basis.

Cynthia Tschudy, president of the Jordan River Arts Council, said the members have a great "love of our old building" and are dedicated to its preservation and continued community use.

About 35 miles northwest, another stillfunctioning Carnegie building belongs to downtown Petoskey’s public library.

"The library is no longer housed in the Carnegie building. We have a new facility across the street that was opened about 10 years ago," said Valerie Meyerson, director at Petoskey District Library. "We currently use the Carnegie for programming and events. The historic impact of the Carnegie makes it an important building for the history of Petoskey. The library’s goal is to keep it a vital part of our community."

She said there remains continued public interest in the structure for both its architectural and historical value. Carnegie approved a $12,500 grant to build Petoskey’s library in 1907, two years after Traverse City’s library opened.

"The Carnegie grant brought the first real library service to Petoskey and served as our main library for almost 100 years," Meyerson said.

Library records show citizen groups supported the creation of a public library in Petoskey as early as 1876 and the concept became reality in 1908 when Lelia Johnson bought the property as a gift to the city, specifically to provide a free, public library in memory of her late husband.

NORTHERN MICHIGAN CARNEGIE LIBRARIES TIMELINE:

Traverse City: Commissioned 1902, granted $20,000

Cadillac: Commissioned 1903, granted $15,000

Charlevoix: Commissioned 1907, granted $10,000

Petoskey: Commissioned 1907, granted $12,500

Cheboygan: Commissioned 1908, granted $15,000

East Jordan: Commissioned 1915, granted $10,000

Mancelona: Commissioned 1916, granted $10,000

Boyne City: Commissioned 1916, granted $15,000

Source: University of Michigan, George Sylvan Bobinski