More than a century ago, philanthropist Andrew Carnegie began building libraries. If a town would donate a site and pledge to support a library, they would have one.
Between 1886 and 1919, 1,689 Carnegie Libraries were built in 1,412 communities across the country.
In many small towns the Carnegie Library was the most important or possibly the only piece of great architecture. Some libraries were Beaux Arts gems, inspired by the popular style of the period. Many held stained or leaded glass windows, high ceilings, fireplaces and graceful woodwork. Others reflected regional style, such as the clean and lean Prairie School in the midwest.
According to the book "Carnegie Libraries Across America: A Public Legacy" by Theodore Jones - in the mid 1990's he found that only 772 buildings were still being used as libraries. Almost 350 others still existed in other uses such as offices or museums. Around 275 had been razed or destroyed and still others were standing empty or neglected.
YOUR TASK IS TO FIND A CARNEGIE LIBRARY BUILDING. This is a log anywhere cache.
*Take and post photos of the building - one of which must include your GPS near the sign that says Carnegie Library.
*Give address or location of the building and the coordinates.
*If you know the history or the year the building was built please share that information, as well as information on what the building is being used for now.
The coordinates listed for this cache is the Carnegie Library in Wessington Springs, South Dakota. It was the last one of 25 built in South Dakota and it is still a library. It was built in 1917 at a cost of $7,000.
Have fun and enjoy these gems of architectual history.