carnegie libraries in iowa project - Prairie Rivers of Iowa

Carnegie Libraries byways Tour: Cornell & Mt Vernon

by Jeanie Hau | Mar 6, 2026

Cornell College & Mount Vernon Public Library

In 1903, Cornell College and the City of Mount Vernon received a grant offer from Andrew Carnegie which allowed for the building of a library. This collaboration between a private college and a community to share a library is possibly the only one in the country. Although the library outgrew itself, the collaboration did not.

Securing the Grant

Recognizing the value of Carnegie’s library program, Senator William B. Allison and Governor Leslie M. Shaw used their influence to help Cornell College and Mount Vernon obtain a $40,000 grant offer in 1901 for a joint library. By 1903, the contract among the college, the city, and Carnegie was finalized, though it required several legal and administrative steps:

Ownership and control: Cornell College agreed to provide the land and required a two‑thirds majority on the library board.
Carnegie’s conditions: Carnegie insisted that annual maintenance—estimated at $4,000—be guaranteed. Mount Vernon would contribute $500 through taxation, and the college would supply the remainder.
State legislation: Iowa’s library law had to be amended to allow joint ownership and governance between a city and a private college. The Thirtieth General Assembly enacted the necessary changes.

A community fundraising effort in 1928 later created a maintenance endowment, with contributions from local donors, Carnegie himself, and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Designing and Constructing the Building

The architectural firm Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge of Boston and Chicago designed the new library, while Bartlett & Kling of Cedar Rapids served as contractors. The building featured a Neo‑Classical design with red brick, two main floors, and a basement. A north-side stack addition included iron-and-glass floors installed in 7’8” sections as funds allowed, and a spiral iron staircase connected all levels, including an exterior access point.

Because the library was built on a hillside, extensive foundation work was required, leading to cost reductions elsewhere in the design. At one point, the architects consulted the Olmsted Brothers regarding the placement of a memorial fountain—an intriguing connection to the firm’s broader landscape work on the Cornell campus. Whether the fountain was ever constructed remains unclear.

The building’s inscriptions were originally planned as:

Main cornice: “Library Building”
Entrance panel: “The Gift of Andrew Carnegie”

Cornerstone and Opening

Cornell College scheduled a cornerstone ceremony for June 14, 1904, even before the architectural drawings were complete. A special contract allowed construction of a foundation platform solely for the event. A 12-inch copper box containing documents was placed inside the cornerstone.

The library opened in September 1905 with 26,000 volumes under the supervision of librarian May L. Fairbanks. Mount Vernon, which had no public library of its own, gained full access to the college’s collection.

Although the 1903 contract established the building, no subsequent legal agreement defined the ongoing relationship between the Cornell College Library and the Mount Vernon Public Library. For decades, the arrangement functioned informally as a “gentleman’s agreement.”

When Cornell College opened a new library building in 2001, the Mount Vernon City Council passed an ordinance officially designating the Cole Library as the community’s public library. Today, the Russell D. Cole Library houses both the Cornell College Library and the Mount Vernon Public Library. Each maintains its own identity and website, but all materials are available to all users. To local knowledge, no other private college and municipality in the nation share a library in this way.

Later Use of the Carnegie Building

The original Carnegie Library was eventually repurposed as the Norton Geology Building, and its inscriptions were removed. The Cornell College Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, making Cornell one of only two colleges in the country with this distinction.

As you drive the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway through the National Historic District, slow down and take note of the buildings on both sides of the road and explore the College Campus, it is a beauty.

See you on the byway!

As always, thank you to the Carnegie Libraires in Iowa Project for the work they have provided and photographs. Thank you to the Cole Mount Vernon Public Library and the Lisbon Historic Preservation Commission and Visit Mount Vernon- Lisbon for information and photos.

Carnegie Libraries byways Tour: Clinton Public Library

by Jeanie Hau | Jan 8, 2026

The Clinton Public Carnegie Library, 2025

The Lincoln Highway is the crossroad in this photo.

Located on the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway at the corner of S. 3^rd St and 306 8^th Ave S., the Clinton Public Library was funded by a grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie on August 24, 1901 in the amount of $30,000. The library was approved by the city in spring of 1902, a board was created, and planning began. In the spring of 1903, Carnegie agreed to increase the grant to the amount of $45,000. A corner lot of land was given by Mrs. Emma Lamb Young. The public school library donated several thousand volumes of books to fill the library shelves. The library officially opened its doors on November 8, 1904. Today, it continues to honor more than 110 years of service to local residents.

The library’s main building was designed by the Chicago architectural firm Patton & Miller and constructed by Daniel Haring between the years of 1903 and 1904 (cornerstone date is 1903). The structure features two stories and a raised basement. Limestone was used for the exterior. Built in the Beaux-Arts style, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, cementing its status as a cultural landmark.

The 1^st Board of Trustees consisted of the following: Hon. George D. McDaid, president; George B. Phelps, secretary; Mrs. W.I. Haynes, Virtus Lund, Sr.; Theo. Carstensen, Petrel Davis, Rev. E.H. McLaughlin, E.E. Hecker. Hon. George D. McDaid, who was also the mayor at the time, passed away before seeing the library completed. Mrs. W.I. Haynes was instrumental in the development and design of the library to allow for the capability to host a multitude of activities.

The Library Board of Trustees appointed Miss Belle Sweet as the first librarian in early 1904. Miss Sweet, like other librarians at the time, completed a course in library training at the University of Illinois. She had completed previous college work at the University of Wisconsin and was a high school teacher in Clinton prior to her appointment as librarian. Her assistant was Miss Lillian Cook, who attended the Iowa Summer Library School in 1904.

Just as in the beginning, the library today offers a robust circulating collection. Visitors can explore thousands of books, periodicals, CDs, DVDs, audiobooks, reference materials, and other resources designed for all ages. The library has a Genealogy Department on the second floor, which serves as a designated Family Search Center, and in 2014, the library launched the Clinton Public Library Historic Newspaper Project. The project was created to digitize newspapers from the former Lyons and Clinton communities, dating from 1856 to 1927. This effort preserved an important piece of local history and made it accessible to researchers and residents alike.

Whether accessed in person, online, or through interlibrary loan, the library’s multimedia offerings continue to serve Clinton, Iowa, as more than just a building. The Clinton Public Library is a vital cultural and educational hub. Its collections, programs, and historical archives support the needs of patrons while preserving the stories of the community it serves.

* Sources were Wikipedia and the Carnegie Libraries in Iowa Project –(all historic photos were obtained from the Carnegie Libraries in Iowa Project)–