Main Street Beatrice

The public library was established in 1893 on the second floor of the post office & consisted of two small rooms.  Beatrice residents, wanting a larger, more deserving home to the library applied for a grant from Andrew Carnegie in December 1902 & received $20,000 from Carnegie in 1903.

But, receiving money for a library involved more than just asking.  Beatrice had to organize a public library board, provide a site with convenient access and natural light all the way around the building & have room to expand in the future. The city also had to agree to maintain a continuous existence of a public library in the community & provide a public funding source for the library.

Carnegie also had to approve the building plans before construction began.  It was important to him to have natural light from all sides in the building.  The citizens of Beatrice purchased lots 5 & 6 of block 36 in Midland Township for $1,600 by raising private funds to house their library.

Unlike later Carnegie libraries, which were required to follow more stringent plans, the Beatrice Carnegie Building was early enough architect George Burlinghof of Lincoln was given more freedom with his design. 

Based on buildings from the Trans-Mississippi Exposition of 1898, also called the Omaha World's Fair, Burlinghof saw the Beatrice Carnegie Building as his chance to showcase what he could accomplish. When the library opened on Jan. 1, 1904, the headline in the Beatrice Daily Sun proclaimed it the "The Most Pleasurable Event in Beatrice's History."  In terms of Beatrice history it represents an important time for the city. It was at the end of the city's boom and it brought hope during a time when people were asking if the city would survive.

While the upstairs was designed as the main storage for more than 16,000 volumes, the lower level included a large open area designed for lectures, exhibits and debates.
Carnegie actually asked not to have his name on the buildings he financed, he instead preferred to have a representation of the rays of the rising sun and the words "Let there be Light," on the front of the building.

The area north and east of the library was turned into Charles Park in 1909 after the death of James Charles, a prominent farmer from just south of Beatrice, who donated money to establish a park in the city.  Charles Park and the Carnegie Building are located on Fifth and Elk streets, just south of the Beatrice Public Schools Administration Building and across the street from Beatrice Middle School.

During the 1920s the explosion of the children's section of the library forced it to be moved from an alcove upstairs to the lower level. At the time, the library was projected to hold more than 24,000 volumes. At its 50th anniversary, the library was home to more than 27,000 volumes and plans were under way to remodel the building. In the late 1950s, all of the original oak furniture was replaced; only two tables, a chair and the main library desk remain and are still on display in the building. The building was completely remodeled in the early 1960s. Among the changes were lowered ceilings that blocked out the windows, wood paneling and new carpet.

In 1976, the Carnegie Building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In its application, the board noted that the building had retained its original character throughout the exterior with only one exception, the addition of modern entrance doors.

In 1980, a ramp was added to the building, marking the last major renovation before the library was moved to its present location on the corner of 16th and Court streets in 1991. At the time of the move, the Carnegie Building, originally designed to hold 16,000 volumes, was home to a collection of 58,000.

The building was used by Beatrice Public Schools from 1991 until 1999 and again from 2002 until 2004.  Today, the oldest remaining Carnegie Building in the state and one of the most elaborate in the country, sits empty. We are good stewards of the community and we value our heritage and the generous gift of Mr. Carnegie.  This building is the oldest remaining Carnegie Building in Nebraska & is on the National Register of Historic Places due to its architecture & historical significance.   It represents Beatrice's historic downtown & unique community character.  A new building would never replicate the architecture, ambience, sturdiness & intricate beauty.

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