Jackson Carnegie Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Jackson District Library
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 244 W. Michigan St., Jackson, Michigan |
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| Area | 0.8 acres (0.32 ha) |
| Built | 1903 |
| Architect | Ferry & Clas |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical |
| NRHP reference No. | 80001873 |
| Added to NRHP | March 10, 1980 |
The Jackson Carnegie Library is a special old building in Jackson, Michigan. It's where the Jackson District Library is located. This building is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. This means it's a historic place worth protecting!
History of the Library
The Jackson District Library started in 1863. It was created by a group of people from Jackson. Later, in 1884, the City of Jackson took over running the library.
In 1901, a very rich man named Andrew Carnegie gave $70,000 to the city. He wanted them to build a brand new library. The city hired an architectural firm called Ferry and Clas to design the building. Construction began in 1903 and finished in 1906.
This building was the main city library until 1978. Then, it joined with other local libraries. It became the main branch for the new Jackson District Library system. In 1981, a round building was added to the back. This gave the library more space.
What Does the Building Look Like?
The Jackson Carnegie Library is a large, rectangular building. It has two stories and is made of light-colored Indiana limestone. The building is about 99 feet long and 66 feet wide. It has a flat roof that slopes gently.
The front of the building looks the same on both sides. You walk up a wide staircase to reach the entrance. Big stone walls with iron lamps are at the ends of the stairs. The main entrance is set back a little. It has six tall, decorative columns that go up to a fancy border at the top. This border goes all around the sides of the building.
The windows are tall and arched. They have a special stone at the top called a keystone. Between the first and second-story windows, you can see stone lion heads and flower designs.
