Andrew Carnegie Free Library (1901) –
First designed and constructed library children’s room in suburban library.
Only public library using Andrew Carnegie’s first name.
Original oak bookcases and railing by circulation desk:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/bookcase2.JPG
Original oak circulation desk with same railing:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/Circ2-S.JPG
Original oak circulation desk with bookcases in background:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/Circ-S7.JPG
Fireplace with portrait of Andrew Carnegie; this was his Andrew Carnegie’s
Favorite portrait (leaning over a chair):
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/fireplace4.JPG
Modern public computers fit nicely in historic reading room:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/computers2.JPG
Original tables and chairs in historic Children’s Room, first designed and constructed
library children’s room in a suburban public library (also notice a different
Andrew Carnegie portrait in background):
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/childrensrm3.JPG
Another view of Children’s Room showing children’s collection card catalog,
which was Library’s original card catalog:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/childrensrm1.JPG
Another view of Children’s Room giving a better view of Andrew Carnegie portrait.
Copies of this particular portrait were distributed to all American Carnegie Libraries in 1935,
on the occasion of the centennial of the birth of Andrew Carnegie, as gifts from the
Carnegie Corporation of New York (Andrew Carnegie Free Library received two copies of this painting):
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/childrensrm4.JPG
Decorative skylight above Children’s Room:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/skylight.JPG
Exterior entrance of Music Hall:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/MHfront.JPG
Music Hall Foyer:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/MHFoyer.JPG
Photograph of “The Music Man” performed by Stage 62, one of several Music Hall tenants:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/Stage62-MusicMan1.JPG
Music Hall stage. A painting of Skibo Castle is pictured on the stage curtain.
Andrew Carnegie donated the stage curtain, with the painting of Skibo Castle,
during the Library’s official dedication on April 22, 1902. However, over the years
the curtain was taken-down and lost; and, apparently, no one took a photograph of the
original curtain. The curtain shown in this photograph is a reproduction of the original
curtain (an artist painted a new picture of Skibo Castle on the curtain) dedicated on July 18, 1997:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/stage1.JPG
Original mahogany seats in the Music Hall. Originally 800 seats, 788 seats survived.
Under each seat is a metal frame for storage of a gentleman’s top hat! The current
capital campaign for rehabilitation of the Library building may include replacement
of these seats. I continue lobbying to have the seats restored, with new cushions, rather than replaced:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/mahoganyseats.JPG
This scene shows display cabinets in the Library’s Civil War Museum,
which was originally a local Grand Army of the Republic veterans’ post:
Civil War Museum Display Cabinets
Another view of the Library’s Civil War Museum:
Civil War Museum
Library’s gymnasium, now leased to a local dance school. Several of the
very early Carnegie Libraries were community centers which included athletic facilities.
Although some also included swimming pools, the Andrew Carnegie Free Library did not
receive a swimming pool, just a gym:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/gym.JPG
Library entrance:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/libfront3.JPG
Another view of the Library entrance:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/libfront2.JPG
A view of the side of the Library, from the Library entrance on the left
to the Music Hall entrance on the right:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/libside.JPG
Winter scene showing the Library in Library Park. Andrew Carnegie donated
a small plot of land with the Library, which he considered a small in-town park.
Children ride sleds on this hillside of Library Park each Winter:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/LibraryPark-snow1-2.JPG
One of two canons which guard the Library entrance. Although the Library has a
Civil War Museum, these two canons actually originated with the Spanish-American War,
about the same time the Library was built (canon in photograph is canon on north side of steps
leading to Library entrance):
Spanish-American War Canon
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Hazelwood Branch (1900) --
Building abandoned March, 2004; remains empty and
unused.
Library relocated to second floor of commercial
building.
Library entrance:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/CLP-Hazelwood.JPG
Ornamental dome skylight over circulation desk:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/CLP-Dome1.JPG
250-seat auditorium, in lower level of building (with its own outdoor entrance):
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/CLP-HazelwoodAuditorium1.JPG
Carnegie Free Library of Braddock (1889) –
America’s First Carnegie Library
Library entrance:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/Braddock1.JPG
Side view showing Music Hall entrance:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/BraddockMH.JPG
Carnegie Library of Homestead (1898) –
Library entrance:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/Homesteadfront.JPG
Library Centennial celebration showing “Andrew Carnegie” arriving at Homestead railroad station:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/HomesteadCentennial-RR.JPG
Library Centennial celebration showing “Andrew Carnegie” riding in horse-drawn carriage,
on East Eighth Avenue, to Library:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/HomesteadCentennial-Carriage.JPG
Library Centennial celebration showing “Andrew Carnegie” unveiling historic plaque at Library entrance:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/HomesteadCentennial-Plaque.JPG
Pennsylvania historic plaque marking location where Pinkerton agents came ashore during
Homestead Strike of 1892; historic Pump House is in background:
http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/HistoricMarker-Pinkertons.JPG
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Allegheny Regional Branch;
Formerly Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny (1890) –
America’s first publicly-funded Carnegie Library !
Constructed with world’s
first Carnegie Hall !
Next-door to two other historic structures:
Pittsburgh’s original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science and
original Allegheny Post Office.
Library building CLOSED due to lightning strike in April,
2006; abandoned for proposed new structure in August, 2006.
Library entrance showing clock tower (only original Carnegie Library constructed with clock tower)
before lightning accident:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/Alleghenyfront.JPG
Another view of Library clock tower in background; in foreground is sculpture, “The Earth”
by Sidney Waugh, on front façade of Pittsburgh’s original Buhl Planetarium and
Institute of Popular Science:
http://buhlplanetarium3.tripod.com/BuhlTheEarth.JPG
Entrance to world’s first Carnegie Hall (built one year before New York City’s Carnegie Hall),
adjoining Library:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/Carnegie-Hazlett.JPG
Another view of Music Hall entrance. When this photograph was taken (October, 1998)
the Pittsburgh Public Theater was the primary tenant (as the sign on the building indicates)
of the Hazlett Theatre inside Carnegie Hall:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/Carnegie-Hazlett2.JPG
Photograph of Library taken on April 23, 1937, before soot from Pittsburgh industries was
cleaned from façade in early 1970s. In foreground is Allegheny Diamond, the center of the
former City of Allegheny:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/AlleghFreeLibrDiamond.JPG
Closer view of Library in 1937:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/AlleghFreeLibr2.JPG
1937 photograph of memorial (constructed in 1904) Andrew Carnegie built to his mentor,
Col. James Anderson, who had opened Western Pennsylvania’s first public library in 1850.
The memorial was originally constructed at the intersection of Federal and East Ohio Streets,
adjacent to the Library:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/AndersonMem1937-2.JPG
Photograph of Col. Anderson Memorial today, after it was reconstructed (May 15, 1988)
directly across from the Library entrance, on the east lawn of Pittsburgh’s original
Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/ColAndersonmem.JPG
Closer view of Memorial, which includes bust of Col. Anderson and “The Reading Blacksmith”;
collectively, the sculptures are titled “Labor”:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/ColAndersonmem2.JPG
Bookplate from one of the books in the “Anderson Library Institute” of 1850; upon the closing
of this public library, after Col. Anderson’s death, the books were transferred to the
Allegheny City public schools library:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/ColAndersonbooks1.JPG
Other books originally from the Anderson Library Institute:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/ColAndersonbooks2.JPG
More books from the Anderson Library Institute:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/ColAndersonbooks4.JPG
Col. Anderson’s Allegheny City home, where Andrew Carnegie first borrowed books
from Col. Anderson’s personal 400-volume library:
http://andrewcarnegie.tripod.com/AndersonManor.JPG