Howell in Livingston County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Howell Carnegie Library

Photographed by Joel Seewald, August 26, 2017

1. Howell Carnegie Library Marker — Side 1

Inscription.
The Howell library association originated as the Ladies Library Association in 1875. That year, the ladies began offering books for lending. The need for spacious, permanent quarters grew, and in 1902, for three hundred dollars and railroad travel expenses, Detroit architect Elijah E. Meyers, designer of the Michigan State Capitol, agreed to provide plans for a new library. The township board hired local builder A.G. Kuehnle for the project. Throughout the county, farmers gathered the fieldstones used to build the Neoclassical library. The structure stands on land donated by the four sons of Howell pioneer William McPherson. An addition to the library was completed in 1991.

"If the city of Howell will pledge itself to support a free library and provide a suitable site, Mr. Carnegie will be glad to furnish ten thousand dollars for a free public library building." In 1902, in response to a request for funds, steel entrepreneur Andrew Carnegie's secretary sent this message to Howell Township Supervisor W.H.S. Wood. Carnegie funded over 2,500 free public libraries throughout the English-speaking world. The philanthropist's

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gift to Howell eventually amounted to $15,000. In return, the township pledged annual support of no less than 10 percent of Carnegie's donation. The library opened on November 19, 1906.

Erected 1997 by Courthouse Square Questers No. 745 and Michigan Historical Center, Michigan Department of State. (Marker Number L2013.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Education • Women. In addition, it is included in the Carnegie Libraries, and the Michigan Historical Commission series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is November 19, 1906.

Location. 42° 36.487′ N, 83° 55.91′ W. Marker is in Howell, Michigan, in Livingston County. It is at the intersection of West Grand River Avenue (Business Interstate 96) and Center Street, on the left when traveling east on West Grand River Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 314 West Grand River Avenue, Howell MI 48843, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan

and in Greater Detroit.

It is also in the American Midwest

and on the Great Lakes.

Howell Carnegie Library Marker — Side 2 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel Seewald, August 26, 2017

2. Howell Carnegie Library Marker — Side 2

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Livingston Co. Civil War Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Opera House (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Ann Arbor Railroad (about 800 feet away); Livingston County Veterans Honor Roll (approx. 0.2 miles away); National Hotel (approx. 0.2 miles away); Livingston County WWI Honor Roll (approx. 0.2 miles away); County Courthouse (approx. 0.2 miles away); George W. Lee House (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Howell.

Also see . . . Howell Downtown Historic District. Howell's Carnegie Library was placed on the National Register of Historic places in 1986 as part of the Howell Downtown Historic District. An excerpt from the Nomination Form:

E. E. Myers, architect for the state capitol in Lansing was selected for the project. Myers was one of the nation's most distinguished designers of public buildings
Photographed by Joel Seewald, August 26, 2017

3. Howell Carnegie Library Marker
including the state capitols in Colorado, Idaho, and Texas, twenty-seven courthouses, and forty school buildings. He also designed several hundred private dwellings and many other buildings in the United States, Canada, and South America.... Myers was noted for his penchant for detail and acted as superintendent for his architectural projects. The Howell Carnegie Library may well be his only attempt at Neoclassical library design.... Contractor, G. Kuehnle of Ann Arbor was hired to build the library for $10,000 about 1902. Partway into the project, Kuehnle's business failed and work was stopped. Finally, Carnegie agreed to an additional gift of $5,000. That gift, along with a substantial one from the Howell Women's Club enabled the building to open in November, 1906. The library stands as an example of teamwork by Howell citizens, as a living memorial to those who made its construction possible, and as an example of Carnegie's philanthropy which is apparent in the form of libraries in small towns across the land.

(Submitted on July 28, 2025, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.)

Howell Carnegie Library image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel Seewald, August 26, 2017

4. Howell Carnegie Library

Time Capsule and Howell Carnegie Library image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel Seewald, August 26, 2017

5. Time Capsule and Howell Carnegie Library

Caption: Buried under this stone is a Century Vault
Buried therein are momentoes from the people of the year A.D. 1976 to the people of the year A.D. 2076
Howell Bicentennial Committee

Bench at Library Entrance image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel Seewald, August 26, 2017

6. Bench at Library Entrance

Fountain at the Library image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Joel Seewald, August 26, 2017

7. Fountain at the Library

Credits. This page was last revised on July 28, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan. This page has been viewed 821 times since then and 64 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on September 2, 2017, by Joel Seewald of Madison Heights, Michigan.