Free Public Library of Petaluma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Free Public Library of Petaluma
|
|
 |
|
 Location in California
|
|
| Location | 20 Fourth Street in Petaluma, California, US |
|---|---|
| Built | 1904 |
| Architect | Brainerd Jones |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 88000925 |
| Added to NRHP | June 23, 1988 |
The Free Public Library of Petaluma is a special building in Petaluma, California. It's also known as the Old Carnegie Library or the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum. This building, located at 20 Fourth Street, was built in 1904. It was originally a "Carnegie Free Library," which means it was built with money donated by a famous rich man named Andrew Carnegie. A talented architect named Brainerd Jones designed it. Today, it's used as a place where people can do research about history and also as a museum. It's so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a list of buildings important to American history.
Contents
History of the Library
Petaluma had its first library way back in 1858. It was run by a group called the Odd Fellows. Within ten years, this library was open for everyone to use. By 1878, the city of Petaluma took over the library. This happened because of a law called the Rogers Free Library Act.
Building the Carnegie Library
The money for the new Carnegie library came from two places. Local people donated $7,500. Andrew Carnegie, a very rich businessman, gave a much larger gift of $12,500. The building was constructed by R.W. Moller and W.S. Stradling. Brainerd Jones designed it. This was his first big job as an architect. He later became very well-known in the region.
The library first opened its doors in early 1906. But on April 18 of that year, a big earthquake hit. The building was seriously damaged. After repairs, it continued to serve as a library. It was used as a Carnegie Free Library until 1976. In 1988, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it is a history museum with a special research library inside.
Building Design and Features
Construction on the library started in 1904. It was built in the Classical Revival style. This style looks a lot like ancient Greek and Roman buildings. The stone used for the building came from Stony Point.
Inside the Library
The entrance of the building is two stories tall. It has triangular shapes called pediments and tall columns, just like old temples. Inside, you'll find a curved ceiling called a vaulted ceiling. There's also a beautiful skylight made of leaded glass. The walls are covered with wood panels.
The library has special fan-shaped windows and round windows made of leaded glass. There is also a large dome made of leaded glass. This dome is the biggest free-standing one in Northern California.
What You Can Find Inside
The library part of the building is called the Hoppy Hopkins Memorial Research Library. It's named after a local historian, Hoppy Hopkins (1921-2003). This library helps people research local history, family history, and even the history of buildings. You can find old maps, building plans, newspapers, city guides, and yearbooks here.
The museum part shows items from the area's past. You can learn about the Miwok people, who were the first people to live here. The museum also has exhibits about the poultry (chicken farming) and dairy (milk and cheese) industries. These were very important to Petaluma's history.
The Library Grounds
The library building was built on a piece of land at the corner of Fourth and B streets. Andrew Carnegie had a rule: the city of Petaluma had to provide the land for the library. An important person in the community, Addie Atwater, sold the land to the city.
There are three special trees on the property. They are a Giant Sequoia, a California Live Oak, and a Bunya-Bunya. These trees are so important that they are registered as Heritage or Landmark trees. This means they are protected because of their age, size, or historical importance.
