Arkansas City in Cowley County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Public Library
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 9, 2024
1. Public Library Marker
of Arkansas City by
Andrew Carnegie
1907
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Charity & Public Work • Education. In addition, it is included in the Carnegie Libraries series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1907.
Location. 37° 3.652′ N, 97° 2.468′ W. Marker is in Arkansas City, Kansas, in Cowley County. It is at the intersection of West 5th Avenue and South 2nd Street, on the left when traveling west on West 5th Avenue. The marker is inscribed over the front/north entrance of the library building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 213 West 5th Avenue, Arkansas City KS 67005, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Kansas and in Greater Wichita. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Old Arkansas City High School (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); To Honor Heroes (about 700 feet away); Bicentennial Time Capsule (about 700 feet away); Dedicated to the Heroes of United Flight #93 on Sept. 11, 2001 (approx. 0.6 miles away); Santa Fe Locomotive Engine No. 2542 (approx. 0.6 miles away); Korean War Liberty Tree Memorial (approx. 0.6 miles away); 1996 Olympic Torch Relay (approx. 0.6 miles away); Robert Docking (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Arkansas City.
Also see . . .
this page online
Excerpt: Library advocate N.D. Sanders first began corresponding with famous industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie regarding funding a public library in 1906. Carnegie offered Arkansas City a $16,000 donation for a building, which was later amended to $18,400, with the stipulation that the City would guarantee a maintenance fund. Smith and Shenck Architectural Firm, of Fort Worth, Texas, was selected to design the building. Construction began in 1907 and the building was dedicated on August 5, 1908. When it opened, the library originally contained 3,600 volumes in its collection.(Submitted on October 11, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
In November 1980, the U.S. Postal Service vacated its building at 120 E. Fifth Ave. and the Arkansas City Public Library, which had simply outgrown Carnegies generous gift, moved into the newly available location on East Fifth Avenue, where it remains to this day. The Carnegie building at 215 W. Fifth Ave. has remained empty ever since, although Cowley County Community College has periodically expressed an interest in it due to its proximity to the college campus.
The Carnegie Library was built in the Italian Renaissance style, with Neoclassical elements, and it features dark red brick with stone quoins at the corners,a pavilion/temple-style roof, Ionic columns, egg and dart border above dentil bands, and scrolled modillion brackets at the roof-line.Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 9, 20242. Carnegie Public Library (northwest elevation)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 9, 2024
3. Carnegie Public Library (west elevation)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, September 9, 2024
4. Carnegie Public Library (north/front elevation)
The marker is engraved above the front entrance.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 11, 2024. It was originally submitted on October 11, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 144 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 11, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
