Cleburne in Johnson County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Carnegie Library / Layland Museum
Photographed By James Hulse, July 16, 2021
1. Carnegie Library / Layland Museum Marker
The Carnegie Library building has been Cleburne's literary and cultural center since 1905. In 1902-1903, the Women's Club, led by Julia Pittman Osborn, requested a $1 donation from each "Progressive Man" in Cleburne, obtained a $20,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation, and garnered a commitment from the city to support a public library. The building housed the library from 1905 to 1978. During WWII, the War Information Center for the U.S. Information Service was located here. In 1956, the name was changed to the Cleburne Public Library. Due to overcrowding, the library was moved in 1978.
The upstairs theater was a popular location for local performances from 1905 into the 1930s, when use of the theater began to decline. In 1963, the eclectic history collection of a local businessman and avid collector, William Joseph Layland (1876-1940), was donated to the city and was housed in the upstairs theater. In the 1970s, Mildred Armstrong Padon (1920-1995) led the conversion of the building to the Layland Museum and served as curator from 1978 to 1993. The greater Cleburne Carnegie players organized to rescue the theater and return
this page online
Erected by Discover Cleburne Texas.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Entertainment • Women. In addition, it is included in the Carnegie Libraries series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.
Location. 32° 20.914′ N, 97° 23.18′ W. Marker is in Cleburne, Texas, in Johnson County. Marker is at the intersection of North Caddo Street (State Highway 171) and East Wardville Street, on the left when traveling north on North Caddo Street. The marker is located in the front of the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 201 North Caddo Street, Cleburne TX 76033, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Site of Old Picnic Grounds (a few steps from this marker); Carnegie Library Building (a few steps from this marker); Colonel Middleton T. Johnson (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); General Patrick R. Cleburne (about 400 feet away); The 36th Division - Texas National Guard (about 400 feet away); Johnson County War Memorial (about 400 feet away); Church of the Holy Comforter (about 400 feet away); Desert Storm Memorial (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cleburne.
Also see . . . Carnegie library
Photographed By James Hulse, July 16, 2021
2. The Carnegie Library / Layland Museum and Marker
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. A total of 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems. 1,689 were built in the United States, 660 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, 125 in Canada, and others in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Serbia, Belgium, France, the Caribbean, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Fiji. Source: Wikipedia(Submitted on July 22, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed By James Hulse, July 16, 2021
3. The Carnegie Library / Layland Museum Marker is located on the left of the entrance
Credits. This page was last revised on July 22, 2021. It was originally submitted on July 22, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 122 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 22, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
