Waco in McLennan County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
The Armstrong Browning Library
In 1918, Dr. Armstrong, who admired the optimism and spiritual values in Robert Browning's poetry, donated his personal collection to Baylor University. Four decades of creative fundraising efforts by the Armstrongs resulted in the acquisition of more items located throughout the world, and in 1925, the Times of London called it "the most important collection of Browningiana in the world." It was housed in "The Browning Room" of the Carroll Library. In 1951, the collection was moved here to a new library building named for Dr. Armstrong and Robert Browning.
In addition to the core collection of Browning books, letters, manuscripts and other papers, the library houses an impressive array of paintings, drawings, prints, photographs and art objects that belonged to the Brownings or that relate to their work. The 19th century collection, added to the university library system in the 1980s, includes early editions of important works by other Victorian writers such as John Ruskin and Charles Dickens, a minor English poets collection, and a women poets collection. Also housed here are archives of 19th-century French literary critic and philosopher Joseph Milsand, a longtime friend of the Brownings. Together, the collections offer a literary resource valued by scholars worldwide.
Erected 2006 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 13419.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education. A significant historical year for this entry is 1951.
Location. 31° 32.614′ N, 97° 7.224′ W. Marker is in Waco, Texas, in McLennan County. Marker is on Speight Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 710 Speight Ave, Waco TX 76706, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Dr. Andrew Joseph Armstrong and Mary Maxwell Armstrong (a few steps from this marker); R. E. B. Baylor (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Georgia Burleson and Early Female Education at Baylor (about 700 feet away); Governor Patrick Morris Neff (about 700 feet away); The Texas Collection (about 800 feet away); Old Main (about 800 feet away); Carroll Library (approx. 0.2 miles away); Burleson Quadrangle (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Waco.
Also see . . . Armstrong Browning Library - The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) (Submitted on June 13, 2023, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 13, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 13, 2023, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. This page has been viewed 70 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 13, 2023, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.
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