Bozeman Carnegie Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Bozeman Carnegie Library
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Bozeman Carnegie Library in 2011
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 Location in Montana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 35 N. Bozeman Ave., Bozeman, Montana |
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| Area | 0.6 acres (0.24 ha) |
| Built | 1903–1904 |
| Architect | Charles S. Haire |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001402 |
| Added to NRHP | February 2, 1979 |
The Bozeman Carnegie Library is a historic building in Bozeman, Montana. It was built between 1903 and 1904. The money for its construction came from Andrew Carnegie, a very rich businessman. He helped build many libraries across the United States.
This library was one of 17 in Montana funded by Carnegie. It was designed in a Classical Revival style. This means it looks like ancient Greek or Roman buildings. You can see this in its Doric columns and triangular pediment at the entrance. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 2, 1979. Today, it is no longer a library. It now holds law offices.
Why Was the Library Built?
By 1900, the small libraries in Bozeman were not big enough. They had been serving the city since 1872. A local librarian named Bell Chrisman saw the need for a new, larger library. She wrote directly to Andrew Carnegie. She explained why Bozeman needed his help.
Carnegie agreed to donate $15,000 for the new building. This was a lot of money back then! The city of Bozeman also promised to support the library every year. They also provided the land for the building. This land was across the street from the city's Chinatown area at the time.
Who Designed the Library?
The library building was designed by Charles S. Haire. He was an architect from Helena, Montana. The building served as Bozeman's main library until 1980. That year, a new, bigger library was finished.
After the library moved out, the building was used for city offices. By the mid-1990s, the old building needed a lot of repairs. In 1998, two law partners, Michael Wheat and Michael Cok, bought the building. Michael Wheat is now a member of the Montana Supreme Court. They bought it for their law offices. They worked hard to fix it up. The big renovations were finished in 1999.
Today, the building is often opened for public events. These events include things like Historic Preservation Week. A local expert, B. Derek Strahn, said that fixing up this library had a huge positive impact on Bozeman.
