George C. Thomas Memorial Library facts for kids
The George C. Thomas Memorial Library is an important old building in Fairbanks, Alaska. It's also known as the North Star Borough Library. This special log building was built in 1909. A kind person named George C. Thomas helped pay for it. For many years, it was the public library for Fairbanks. In 1977, a new library, the Noel Wien Public Library, opened.
This old building is very important to history. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1978. This was because of a very important meeting held there in 1915. Leaders from Alaska Native groups met with U.S. government officials. They talked about many things, especially land claims. This meeting was a big step for Native rights in Alaska.
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George C. Thomas Memorial Library
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HABS in 1991
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 Location in Downtown Fairbanks
Location in Alaska
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| Location | 901 1st Avenue, Fairbanks, Alaska |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1909 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001542 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | June 02, 1978 |
Contents
About the George C. Thomas Library
The Thomas Library building is made of logs and shaped like a square. It has a special roof that extends over a porch. This porch is on two sides of the building. Six log columns hold up the porch on each side. The main door of the building is at the corner under the porch.
Building History
A generous person named George C. Thomas paid for the building. He was from Philadelphia and cared about helping others. The Episcopal Church had been offering some library services in Fairbanks since 1904. Mr. Thomas wanted to help them.
The building was officially opened on August 5, 1909. In 1940, the building and its books were sold to the city of Fairbanks for just $1. The only rule was that it had to always be used as a library. The Fairbanks North Star Borough started running the library in 1968. In 1977, the library moved to a new place. Since then, the old building has been used for businesses.
A Special Meeting in 1915
The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. It was then named a National Historic Landmark in 1978. This was because of a very important event in the history of Alaska.
On July 5 and 6, 1915, something big happened. Leaders from Alaska Native groups met with officials from the U.S. Government. They also met with leaders from the Alaska Territory. They talked about many different concerns.
Discussing Land Claims
One of the biggest topics was native land claims. This meant who owned the land. For a long time, there was confusion about land ownership in Alaska. This meeting was the start of a long fight for Native rights. This fight ended in 1971 with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. This important law gave Alaska Native groups many rights and payments for their land.
