Monroe Carnegie Library Explained

Monroe Carnegie Library
Location:200 E. 6th St., Bloomington, Indiana
Coordinates:39.1675°N -86.5317°W
Architect:Parker, Wilson B. Parker; John M. Weaver
Architecture:Classical Revival, Neo-Classical
Added:March 8, 1978
Area:less than one acre
Refnum:78000025

Monroe Carnegie Library, also known as Old Monroe Carnegie Library, is a historic Carnegie library located at Bloomington, Monroe County, Indiana. It was built in 1917, and is a one-story, rectangular, Neoclassical style limestone building on a raised basement.  The Monroe County History Center is a history museum the historic library building that was established as a Carnegie library.[1] The museum is located on the site of Center School in the former Bloomington Public Library building.[2] The library building is now home to the Monroe County Historical Society, their collection of artifacts, and their Genealogy Library.[3] A historical marker is present at the site.[4] The History Center is located at 202 East 6th Street. It is a tourist attraction.[5]

The building measures approximately 50 feet by 40 feet, and has a two-story concrete block addition built in 1955. It features arched windows and a projecting arched entryway topped by a pagoda style roof. It was constructed with a $31,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation.[6] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

The Monroe County Public Library vacated the building in 1970; by 1978 and through the 1980s it was used by various nonprofits. On April 27, 1985 Glenn Danzig's Deathrock band Samhain (band) performed there during their Unholy Passion EP tour. Since 1994, the former library houses the Monroe County Historical Society.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Monroe County History Center - City of Bloomington Volunteer Network. www.bloomingtonvolunteernetwork.org.
  2. Web site: Our History – Monroe County History Center. monroehistory.org. 2 October 2015.
  3. Web site: Monroe County History Center. 23 March 2016.
  4. Web site: IHB: Monroe County's Carnegie Library. www.in.gov. 7 December 2020.
  5. Web site: Monroe County History Center. www.visitbloomington.com.
  6. Web site: Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD) . Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology . Searchable database. 2016-05-01. Note: This includes Web site: National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Monroe Carnegie Library. 2016-05-01. Bruce Tone and Dana D'Esopo. April 1977. and Accompanying photographs.
  7. Web site: Our History . 2 October 2015 . Monroe County Historical Society . 10 March 2018.