Tama Iowa - Prairie Rivers of Iowa

Byway Carnegie Libraries to receive $10,000 Gifts

by Jeanie Hau | Dec 5, 2025

In October of this year, Carnegie Libraries across the nation received an email alerting them to a gift no one was expecting. The Carnegie Corporation of New York (originally the Carnegie Foundation) stated on their website that Carnegie Libraries will each receive a $10,000 gift to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To qualify, libraries must have been originally funded by the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, remain operational, and acknowledge their Carnegie heritage. Cedar Rapids is an example. Cedar Rapids, for example, continues to honor its Carnegie connection, even though its Carnegie building is now a part of the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. Gift recipients may use the funds however they wish to celebrate the 250th anniversary, thereby advancing their mission and benefiting their communities (Carnegie C of NY press release).

Between 1892 and 1917, fifteen Public Carnegie Libraries and one Academic Carnegie Library were located and built along the Lincoln Highway in Iowa. Many of these libraries were built in towns along the Lincoln Highway because they linked communities and gave Carnegie’s libraries even greater visibility and accessibility. In western Iowa, a line can connect the dots where a Carnegie Library can be found in Denison, in Dunlap, in Logan, in Woodbine, and in Missouri Valley.

In exchange for the free grant to build a library, the communities receiving the grants needed to obtain property, city support, an architect, a builder, and the books to fill their library. It was often women’s groups or single librarians who applied for the grants and who were tasked with getting city support for the endeavor.

Of Iowa’s 108 Carnegie libraries, 52 are still in use as libraries today, 46 exist but are no longer libraries and 10 no longer exist. Of the Lincoln Highway’s 16 libraries built, 7 are still used as libraries: Clinton Public Library, Ames Public Library, Jefferson Iowa Public Library, Norelius Public Library (Denison), Logan Public Library, Woodbine Carnegie Library, and Missouri Valley Public Library.

All Lincoln Highway Carnegie buildings still exist although the remaining 9 outgrew their buildings and built new libraries as opposed to building additions. Carroll, Cedar Rapids, and Council Bluffs are museums, Marion and Dunlap are used by churches, DeWitt is a restaurant (The Old Library), Marshalltown is a government building, Tama is privately owned, and Cornell in Mount Vernon is the Norton Geology Center and Anderson Museum (academic and public shared). Iowa Valley Carnegie libraries include Marengo and Traer (audio tour); both remain operational as libraries.

Active and prospering libraries who have built new buildings (links): Carroll Public Library, Cedar Rapids Public Library, Council Bluffs Public Library, DeWitt Public Library, Marshalltown Public Library, Louise & Lucile Hink Tama Public Library, Cole Mount Vernon Public Library (joint academic library).

Byway Carnegie Libraries who have announced on Facebook that they are accepting the gift include Traer (Iowa Valley), Clinton, Carroll, Logan, and Woodbine. The libraries are asking their patrons to share stories about their library and submit photos for possible inclusion on carnegielibraries.org. The site is part of Carnegie Libraries Across America, a resource that enables visitors to learn about each building. Iowa has a similar program, Carnegie Libraries in Iowa Project. Reach out to your local library to find out how to submit your stories.

For more information on Andrew Carnegie’s library legacy, check out a timeline and a video posted by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Stay informed by signing up for the foundation’s Unstacked newsletter.

Wherever you are on the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway, you are near an Andrew Carnegie historic library building. With Iowa’s library open access program, you can check out more than just the history. Follow me on the byway as we explore the 16 Carnegie Libraries of the Iowa Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway and the two along the Iowa Valley Scenic Byway.

Until next month…see you on the byway!

–Jeanie

Iowa Valley Scenic Byway Iowa Prairie Rivers of Iowa

Update on Status of the Bridge over Mud Creek in Tama, Iowa

by Shellie Orngard | Apr 4, 2022

The bridge over Mud Creek in Tama, Iowa, will be preserved in its current location, in a decision made at the March 21 Tama City Council meeting. City Council member Ann Michael, who had been pushing to repair the bridge, said after the meeting, “It took the work of all of us to preserve this historic little bridge.”

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and considered one of the most visited sites along the Lincoln Highway nationally, the Tama Bridge has been cited for repair since 2016.

Historic Lincoln Highway Bridge in Tama, Iowa

With the assistance of Prairie Rivers of Iowa, nearly $100 thousand dollars have been raised for that purpose which, along with funding from the Iowa Department of Transportation would have paid for the repairs, but various administrative issues have delayed the project.

Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Coordinator Shellie Orngard at Tama City Council

PRI Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway Coordinator Shellie Orngard speaking in support of the historic Lincoln Highway Bridge to Tama City Council. KCRG Photo

Earlier this year, the Tama City Council began to consider moving the bridge and replacing it with a culvert, sparking a nationwide campaign to contact the Council or attend City Council meetings and ask them to save the bridge and repair it in place.

To gain a full understanding of the options, Tama city staff called a meeting with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) that included representatives from the Iowa Department of Transportation, City of Tama, the structural engineering firm Shuck-Britson, Prairie Rivers of Iowa, and the Lincoln Highway Association. SHPO indicated that moving the bridge without prior approval would cause it to be de-listed from the National Register.

A process to gain such pre-approval could take two years, with no guarantees of re-listing. Additionally, the project engineer cast doubt on the feasibility of moving the concrete structure and maintaining its structural integrity. With this information, and the prodigious input from people across the country, the Tama City Council decided to let bids for repair through the Iowa DOT. City Council members said they were surprised by the amount of interest and the passion for bridge’s preservation from so many people across the country.