Spirit Lake in Dickinson County, Iowa — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Spirit Lake Public Library
1912
| | Iowa Historic Site | |
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2021
1. Spirit Lake Public Library Marker
The National Register of Historic Places
Iowa State Historical Department
Division of Historic Preservation
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Charity & Public Work • Education • Notable Buildings. In addition, it is included in the Carnegie Libraries, and the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1912.
Location. 43° 25.344′ N, 95° 6.119′ W. Marker is in Spirit Lake, Iowa, in Dickinson County. It is at the intersection of Hill Avenue and 18th Street (U.S. 71), on the right when traveling north on Hill Avenue. The marker is mounted at eye-level, directly on the subject building, on the left side of the front/west entrance. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1801 Hill Avenue, Spirit Lake IA 51360, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Iowa and specifically in Iowa Great Lakes. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Spirit Lake Stockade (within shouting distance of this marker); Dickinson County Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Antlers Hotel (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); First Fort in Dickinson County (approx.
this page online
Regarding Spirit Lake Public Library. National Register of Historic Places #80001448.
From the National Register Nomination:
The Spirit Lake Public Library was built in 1912 with funds provided through the Carnegie Foundation. The building has an iron-frame structural system. Exterior walls are veneered with a hard brick from C. Neil and Sons of Sioux City, with stone trim. The building is a representative example of a small-town library affecting a late-medieval or Tudor style. In 1901, the local Civic Improvement Association (made up of women from the community) established a "Rest Room" and library in a rented commercial block, with early collections supplied through the state Traveling Library system. A referendum in 1904 provided public support for a community library, and also made the town eligible for a Carnegie grant.
Also see . . . Spirit Lake Public Library (Wikipedia)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2021
2. Spirit Lake Public Library Entrance
The marker is mounted on the left side of the entrance.
From the National Register Nomination:
The main entrance features a large, Tudor-arched transom panel above a 6-panelled door framed by sidelights and is set within a rectilinear frame of stone. Above the entrance is a stone panel, molded at top and bottom and extending the full width of the frontispiece, in which are incised the words "Carnegie Library".
From the National Register Nomination:
The main entrance features a large, Tudor-arched transom panel above a 6-panelled door framed by sidelights and is set within a rectilinear frame of stone. Above the entrance is a stone panel, molded at top and bottom and extending the full width of the frontispiece, in which are incised the words "Carnegie Library".
The former Spirit Lake Public Library was dedicated on September 24, 1912. Spirit Lake's application was accepted for a Carnegie Foundation grant for $8,000 on February 1, 1905, but the search for a lot for the building delayed construction. Like most small libraries of the period, this building has a main floor above a raised basement. The public library has subsequently been relocated into a new building, and the historic building has been converted into commercial space.(Submitted on January 2, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, June 29, 2021
3. Spirit Lake Public Library (northwest elevation)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on January 2, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 363 times since then and 35 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 2, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
