The Dalles Carnegie Library
Encyclopedia
The Dalles Carnegie Library is a historic building located at the corner of Fourth and Washington streets in The Dalles
, Oregon
, United States
. It is one of the 2,509 libraries
whose construction was funded by Andrew Carnegie
. The construction grant of $10,000 was approved March 10, 1907, and it was dedicated as The Carnegie Library of The Dalles in September 1910.
The building was used as the local public library until September, 1966. In 1967 the building was leased by The Dalles Art Club from the city and converted into an art center. In July 1997, the city deeded the building to the organization operating the center, which by then had been incorporated as The Dalles Art Association. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1978.
The building is approximately 52 х 38 feet, with a 10 foot front foyer. It is neoclassical
in style, and is constructed of brick with concrete foundation walls and window sills. There is a hip roof with built in gutter and decorative corbel
s under the eaves. Three chimneys are present on the east, south and west walls, although only the south one is still utilized, as the original fireplaces are no longer functional. The building remains much as it was when constructed, with extensive original woodwork, mill fir boards, a fireplace on the south wall upstairs, large windows, many of which can be seen to be glazed with the original glass by the imperfections, and the integrity of the exterior appearance is intact. Some minor modifications, including a small office, counter and kitchenette
have been added in the southwest corner upstairs.
The Dalles, Oregon
The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is the largest city and county seat of Wasco County, Oregon, United States. The name of the city comes from the French word dalle The Dalles is...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is one of the 2,509 libraries
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
whose construction was funded by Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
. The construction grant of $10,000 was approved March 10, 1907, and it was dedicated as The Carnegie Library of The Dalles in September 1910.
The building was used as the local public library until September, 1966. In 1967 the building was leased by The Dalles Art Club from the city and converted into an art center. In July 1997, the city deeded the building to the organization operating the center, which by then had been incorporated as The Dalles Art Association. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1978.
The building is approximately 52 х 38 feet, with a 10 foot front foyer. It is neoclassical
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
in style, and is constructed of brick with concrete foundation walls and window sills. There is a hip roof with built in gutter and decorative corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
s under the eaves. Three chimneys are present on the east, south and west walls, although only the south one is still utilized, as the original fireplaces are no longer functional. The building remains much as it was when constructed, with extensive original woodwork, mill fir boards, a fireplace on the south wall upstairs, large windows, many of which can be seen to be glazed with the original glass by the imperfections, and the integrity of the exterior appearance is intact. Some minor modifications, including a small office, counter and kitchenette
Kitchenette
A kitchenette is a small cooking area.In motel and hotel rooms, small apartments, college dormitories, or office buildings a kitchenette usually consists of a small refrigerator, a microwave oven or hotplate, and, less frequently, a sink...
have been added in the southwest corner upstairs.