George William Gordon (1872-1935)

George William Gordon (1872-1935). . The architect recognized for this design is George William Gordon (1872-1935), a Greenfield resident. Gordon is also responsible for the designs of many other Hancock and surrounding county establishments, ie: churches, schools and residences., The Carnegie Library building contributes to the Greenfield Courthouse Square District on the National Register of Historic Places. This Neo Classical style architecture is noted by the mild cream colors, geometric forms, symmetry, columns and portico. The first cornerstone of the Carnegie Library was laid on the northeast corner of this building in November '1908' which bears this dated inscription. Inside this cornerstone were placed items of significance to the library, the school and the community. These items include the 1908 Librarian report, a list of library subscribers, the 'Rules and Regulations of the Public Library', the 1908-1909 Greenfield Public school list of 1,035 students, the manual of the Greenfield City Schools, copies of six Hancock County newspapers dated November 14, 1908, a history of each of the Federated Woman's Clubs, and a variety of coins., Construction was completed in 1909 and acknowledged as the 'best of its class in the state' according to Andrew Carnegie's library inspector. Andrew Carnegie, a national industrialist and philanthropist, granted money to 1,689 libraries in the country. Greenfield received $10,000 in grant money.