Dayton’s Carnegie Library Branches

Much has been written about Dayton’s beautiful lost library in Cooper Park, as well as the expansive modern downtown library that opened in 2017 and has been a big hit with the community since. But many of the branch libraries in various Dayton neighborhoods have interesting stories as well, and this article will introduce you to two of them: Dayton’s Carnegie libraries.

Carnegie libraries were funded by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, who donated an astonishing amount of money to have public libraries constructed in all types of communities. From 1883 to 1929, 2,509 such libraries were built around the world, including 1,689 in the United States.

104 public libraries were built in Ohio from 1899 to 1915 thanks to 79 grants totaling $2.8 million. In addition, 7 academic libraries were built using Carnegie funds.

Here in Dayton, $50,000 was granted on January 6, 1911 for the construction of two public libraries, one on the East side and one on the West side. The library board had previously tried to obtain Carnegie funds to renovate the main library downtown, but Carnegie responded by offering to build these two branches instead. The board accepted, realizing that branch libraries were to be needed in the growing city.

The East branch library, located at 2160 East Fifth St, is seen below. Its beautiful architecture and details are described one the Historic Huffman website:

“Of Neo-Classic influence, it is a five-bay brick building on a high rockfaced foundation. A central pavilion with doorway on the groundlevel has representational side lights with interrupted stone cornice with segmental pediment. Scrolled column bases support pilasters on the second level with a triple mullion window that has a large transom. Above is a stone cornice and semi-circular wall dormer with modillions and a port hole window. To each side are two pilastered bays with recessed panel and mulion windows in which the transoms have been blinded. The eaves are box corniced. The hip roof is sheathed in curved tile. The chimneys are massive piers, one interior to the left rear and one inside on the right. It has a Low-pitched tile roof, symmetrical facade with an emphasized doorway, and Italian columns, moldings, and other decorative details.”

An interior shot of the same East branch, looking from the children’s room to the circulation desk:

The West branch library was constructed at 1612 West Fifth St near the intersection of Fifth and Euclid. You can see “Dayton Public Library: Carnegie Branch West” above the entrance:

Afterwards, the library system continued to grow. The first non-Carnegie branch to be built was the Electra C. Doren Library (1928) on Troy St. in Old North Dayton, the oldest that is still operating as a library today. Both Carnegie branches were discontinued in 1960s, but after then their fates diverged significantly.

In subsequent years, the West branch building suffered along with much of Dayton’s West side, and it burned down in 1979.

The East branch building survives to this day, and currently houses the St. Mary Development Corporation.

Sources
Faries, Elizabeth. A Century of Service: History of the Dayton Public Library, Dayton, Ohio, 1847-1947. Dayton, Ohio: Dayton Public Library, 1948.
“Huffman Neighborhood Tour.” HistoricHuffman.org. http://reference.historichuffman.org/tourEFifth/EFifth2160.htm
Historic library images are courtesy of Dayton Metro Library