Andrew Carnegie
“The Anacortes Carnegie Library was built on the southwest corner of 8th and M Avenue between 1909-1910.
It was the result of an intensive effort by the women of Anacortes to build a public library. In 1908 a committee formed to ascertain if Andrew Carnegie funds for a library could be obtained. By May, the "ladies of Anacortes" and the Federation of Women's Clubs had begun a subscription drive to raise the town's portion of funds that would be needed to match any Carnegie grant.
In July, the Anacortes City Council adopted the Carnegie Library Resolution, authorizing a $1000 tax levy for library maintenance, the donation of a building site, $1500 in cash, and the promise to raise funds for books by public subscription.
In December, the Carnegie Library Foundation informed Mayor Davey of Anacortes that Carnegie would send $10,000 in funds for a new library building; as reported in the Anacortes American December 24, 1908 . That same issue of the paper noted that Great Northern Railroad donated the building site for four city lots. Cox, Piper, and Carder of Bellingham were the architects for the building; they also designed the Bellingham Herald building. On June 10, 1909 the paper reported that the architects' "working plans" were sent to Carnegie for approval. The building was made of "Skagit cement" from Concrete. The cornerstone was laid in September 1909, and in 1910 the library opened to the public on Christmas Day, at first as a "reading room only." Luella Howard was hired as librarian, and books were available for loan to the public for the first time in March 1911.
In 1962 a new hospital (Island Hospital) was constructed on 24th Street. The old hospital' site at 9th and M was proposed to the City Council as a new library site, and the City Council responded by agreeing to $53,827 for a new city library. The Anacortes History Board then proposed converting the Carnegie Building into the Anacortes Museum. The Museum Board moved into the Carnegie Building in March 1968, and officially opened to the public with a "Heritage Show" that August.
The December, 1, 1977 Anacortes American reported that the Washington State Historic Preservation Office had accepted the Anacortes Carnegie Library on the National Register of Historic Places.”
— Anacortes Historic Photo Archve
