The Marion Public Library building, now the Explore-it-torium Children's Museum of Marion, is a historic Carnegie library in Marion, Ohio. Funded with a Carnegie Grant in 1905, the public library opened in 1907.[1] The library was designed by Richards, McCarty & Bulford of Columbus, Ohio.[2] The architectural firm also designed the Frank Huber Residence, located at 416 Church Street (diagonal from the current library building) and the Huber Building, a five-story department store in Marion.
Andrew Carnegie donated $30,000 to build the library. It was designed in the Beaux Arts style. The historic building closed in 1978 and is now part of the Trinity Baptist Church complex.[3]
New library edit
A newer Marion Public Library was constructed in 1978 on the site of the Greenwood Street School[3] at 445 East Church Street. In 1997 additional construction occurred adding more space on both floors.
Library history edit
Industrialist Edward Huber established Marion's first library in 1886,[4] the Mechanics Library.[3] It was a subscription library for his employees and other employers joined in to form a library association. The library was open to the public by 1891 and was funded by a tax levy.[2]
The library was expanded in 1957 and again in 1963.[2] The Carnegie library was purchased by Trinity Baptist Church in 1979 for $125,000 and remodeled.[1][5]
The Marion Public Library was featured on a postcard.[6]
References edit
- ^ a b Our History Trinity Baptist Church in Marion
- ^ a b c Trinity Baptist Church Waymarking.com (includes photos)
- ^ a b c Marion Randy Winland
- ^ Marion History » Huber Archived 2013-12-25 at the Wayback Machine May 14, 2012 Marion Star
- ^ Carnegie Libraries of Ohio by Mary Ellen Armentrout
- ^ "Ohio Carnegie Libraries D - M". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
External links edit
- Historic Postcard of library Marion00057a Columbus Metropolitan Library
- Image of church building next door on Flickr
- Exterior image of building as part of church Waymarking.com
- Marion Public Library website
- Image of library on Flickr