Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Carnegie Library, Frankfort, Indiana

[LIB0146]

The Frankfort Community Public Library originated as a subscription library in 1884. Initially, the library began as a collection of books in a back room of some law offices at the court house. Then the collection was moved to the Council Chamber only to be moved once more to the High School building. The library stayed at the High School building for five years under the direction of superintendent of schools, Edwin S. Monroe. In 1905, Superintendent Monroe wrote a letter to Andrew Carnegie. Andrew Carnegie was a self-made man who made a fortune in the steel industry. He was known for his philanthropy and for his fervent advocacy of libraries. True to his reputation, he responded to Monroe with a donation of $24,000 towards the building of a new library. (Adjusted for inflation, $24,000 in 1905 is equivalent to $461,449.70 today.) Along with the support of Frankfort tax money, the library finally got its permanent home in 1906 at the corner of Clinton and Columbia Streets. [Thanks to the Frankfort Community Library]

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