Hobart Carnegie Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hobart Carnegie Library
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Hobart Carnegie Library, July 2010
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 706 E. 4th St., Hobart, Indiana |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1914-1915 |
| Architect | Wickes, A. F.; Moe, Ingwald |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000047 |
| Added to NRHP | July 15, 1982 |
The Hobart Carnegie Library, also known as the Hobart Historical Society Museum, is a special old building in Hobart, Indiana. It was built a long time ago, between 1914 and 1915. This building is famous because it's a Carnegie library, which means it was built with money from a famous businessman named Andrew Carnegie. It also has a unique look called Tudor Revival architecture, which makes it stand out in Hobart. Today, it's not a library anymore, but a museum where you can learn about Hobart's history!
Contents
History of the Hobart Library
The Hobart Public Library was the very first public library in Hobart, Indiana. It's important for two main reasons. First, it's a Carnegie library. Second, it's the only building in Hobart built in the Tudor Revival style.
How the Library Was Built
In 1914–1915, the Women's Reading Club of Hobart received a grant. This was a gift of $16,000 from the Carnegie Corporation. Andrew Carnegie was a very rich businessman who gave money to build libraries all over the world.
A. F. Wickes, an architect from Illinois, designed the library. He lived in Gary, Indiana for ten years. Ingwald Moe, who came from Norway in 1906, was hired to build it. Moe created a large construction company. His company built many important buildings in the area.
Carnegie's Library Plans
The Hobart Library was designed using a special guide. This guide was called "Notes on Library Buildings." The Carnegie Corporation provided this pamphlet. Libraries were not very common back then. So, Carnegie created these guides to help build good libraries.
The plans suggested where to put windows and how to build the basement. The outside look was not strictly set. However, it was suggested to avoid fancy or expensive decorations. The Hobart Library is the only building in Hobart known to use the Tudor Revival design.
From Library to Museum
In 1968, the library moved to a bigger, newer building. The original Carnegie building was then sold. The Hobart Historical Society bought it. Now, this historic building is a museum. It helps people learn about the history of Hobart.
What the Library Looks Like
The Hobart Carnegie Library is a rectangular building. It has a roof that is very steep and comes to a point, called a gable roof. On the south side, there is a small gabled section and an entry porch.
Building Materials and Style
The building is made of brick. It has a slate roof, which is a type of stone roof. The style is Tudor Revival. The roofline has a decorative edge called an ogee-shaped cornice. The bricks are laid in a special pattern called a Flemish bond. There are also decorative brick patterns near the bottom of the building.
Special Features
The main entrance is on the south side. It is next to a large bay window. A small porch roof extends over the door. The bay window has five large windows. These windows have special leaded glass. Each window also has a pretty stained glass flower decoration. The brickwork around the windows is very detailed. It has limestone trim. The bay window is topped with a gable. This gable has a half-timbered design with decorative quatrefoil shapes.
The west side of the building once had a Palladian style window. This is a group of three windows, with a tall arched one in the middle. A circular vent was in the gable area. Later, an addition was built to access the basement. This changed the look of the west side. In 1969, another addition was built on the north side using concrete blocks.
Inside the Library
The basement is partly above ground. It was designed for lectures and meetings. The main floor was one large room. The east side of this room was for children to read. The west side was for adults. The librarian's desk was across from the main door.
The Carnegie floor plan "A" suggested placing windows high on the walls. This allowed for bookshelves to be placed below them. The east end of the room had a fireplace in the center of the wall. The bookshelves and other wooden parts inside were made of oak wood.
See also
- List of Carnegie libraries in Indiana
