HomeMy WebLinkAbout52-02230_218 S Linn_CarnegieLibrarySite Inventory Form State Inventory No. 52-02230 New Supplemental State Historical Society of Iowa Part of a district with known boundaries (enter inventory no.)
(December 1, 1999) Relationship: Contributing Noncontributing Contributes to a potential district with yet unknown boundaries National Register Status:(any that apply) Listed De-listed NHL DOE 9-Digit SHPO Review & Compliance Number Non-Extant (enter year)
1. Name of Property
historic name Old Iowa City Public Library other names/site number Carnegie Library (2017: Apartments)
2. Location
street & number 218 S. Linn Street
city or town Iowa City vicinity, county Johnson Legal Description: (If Rural) Township Name Township No. Range No. Section Quarter of Quarter (If Urban) Subdivision Original Town Block(s) 63 Lot(s) see full legal
3. State/Federal Agency Certification [Skip this Section]
4. National Park Service Certification [Skip this Section]
5. Classification
Category of Property (Check only one box) Number of Resources within Property building(s) If Non-Eligible Property If Eligible Property, enter number of: district Enter number of: Contributing Noncontributing site buildings 1 buildings structure sites sites object structures structures objects objects Total 1 Total Name of related project report or multiple property study (Enter “N/A” if the property is not part of a multiple property examination). Title Historical Architectural Data Base Number Iowa City Central Business District Study 52-040
6. Function or Use
Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions) 05C EDUCATION/library 05B01 EDUCATION/university
7. Description
Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions) 06C LATE 19th & 20th CENTURY REVIVALS/Classical foundation 04C STONE/limestone 06A LATE 19th & 20th CENTURY REVIVALS/Beaux Arts walls 04C STONE/limestone & 03 BRICK roof 17 OTHER other Narrative Description ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
8. Statement of Significance
Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark “x” representing your opinion of eligibility after applying relevant National Register criteria) Yes No More Research Recommended A Property is associated with significant events. Yes No More Research Recommended B Property is associated with the lives of significant persons. Yes No More Research Recommended C Property has distinctive architectural characteristics. Yes No More Research Recommended D Property yields significant information in archaeology or history.
County Johnson Address 218 S. Linn Street Site Number 52-02230
City Iowa City District Number
Criteria Considerations A Owned by a religious institution or used E A reconstructed building, object, or structure. for religious purposes. F A commemorative property. B Removed from its original location. G Less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past C A birthplace or grave. 50 years. D A cemetery Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) Significant Dates Construction date
02 ARCHITECTURE 1903 check if circa or estimated date
Other dates 1968 - remodeling Significant Person Architect/Builder (Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above) Architect N/A Liebbe, Nourse & Rasmussen, Des Moines Builder
Sheets & Freyder, Iowa City
Narrative Statement of Significance ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED)
9. Major Bibliographical References
Bibliography See continuation sheet for citations of the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form
10. Geographic Data
UTM References (OPTIONAL)
Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing
1 2
3 4
See continuation sheet for additional UTM references or comments
11. Form Prepared By
name/title Marlys A. Svendsen
organization Svendsen Tyler, Inc. date 9/2000
street & number N3834 Deep Lake Road telephone 715/469-3300
city or town Sarona state WI zip code 54870
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION (Submit the following items with the completed form)
FOR ALL PROPERTIES
1. Map: showing the property’s location in a town/city or township.
2. Site plan: showing position of buildings and structures on the site in relation to public road(s).
3. Photographs: representative black and white photos. If the photos are taken as part of a survey for which the Society is to be
curator of the negatives or color slides, a photo/catalog sheet needs to be included with the negatives/slides and the following
needs to be provided below on this particular inventory site: Roll/slide sheet # 9643 Frame/slot # 12 Date Taken 11/4/99 Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken
See continuation sheet or attached photo & slide catalog sheet for list of photo roll or slide entries. Photos/illustrations without negatives are also in this site inventory file.
FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF PROPERTIES, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS WELL
1. Farmstead & District: (List of structures and buildings, known or estimated year built, and contributing or non-contributing status)
2. Barn:
a. A sketch of the frame/truss configuration in the form of drawing a typical middle bent of the barn.
b. A photograph of the loft showing the frame configuration along one side.
c. A sketch floor plan of the interior space arrangements along with the barn’s exterior dimensions in feet.
State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Use Only Below This Line
Concur with above survey opinion on National Register eligibility: Yes No More Research Recommended
This is a locally designated property or part of a locally designated district.
Comments:
Evaluated by (name/title): Date:
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02230
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 1
Old Iowa City Public Library Johnson
Name of Property County
218 S. Linn Street Iowa City
Address City
7. Narrative Description This 2-story public library building was built in 1903-04. Its design incorporates both Classical Revival design features and Beaux-Arts elements. The library was designed by the Des Moines architectural firm of Liebbe, Nourse & Rasmussen, a firm without
experience in designing public libraries at the time they accepted this commission. The building is constructed of
Bedford limestone. The building’s form consists of a dominant central mass sitting astride lower hipped-roof
wings extending to the north and south. The central section has a temple front with a portico supported by four
large Ionic columns. The original entrance opening was accessed up a magnificent set of steps through these
columns. High windows flanked the entrance doors. The portico’s pediment has a carved wreath with the 1903 date of construction inscribed in the center. The pediment rests on a series of short carved pilasters and panels. The identical design of each of the hipped roof wings included a raised basement with a beltcourse separating the floors, cut stone quoins at both the inner and outer corners, and a cornice that includes two courses of dentils and
a row of modillions. A compromise with local stone cutters apparently resulted in the molded stone being cut off-
site and the balance cut by local artisans.
The building’s current windows consist of 1/1 double-hung sash of various sizes in the basement level and main
floor. “Chicago window” groups are located on each side of the entrance portico. These groups have large fixed sash flanked by narrow 1/1 sash and a row transom lights above. The windows are framed in Classical motifs with panels below and keystones above.
The interior originally had a lobby ceiling that was supported by six Corinthian columns and topped by a dome
with a stained glass skylight. The skylight was removed in 1981 and put on display in the lobby of the new library
across the street. Former Library Director Lolly Eggers describes the original interior of the Carnegie library as
follows: “The Liebbe design…called for …the centrally placed charging desk as the aesthetic and functional point
of the entire main floor. The small marble-lined vestibule and domed lobby of the Liebbe design led directly to the main desk. There were reading rooms on either side of the lobby with the angled stacks behind the desk. There were two small offices, one for the librarian and the other a staff workroom, to the right and left of the stacks.” (Eggers, p. 110) She also notes that there were fireplaces scattered throughout the reading rooms and offices.
The principal alterations to the library date from the 1962 remodeling. They include closure of the front entrance
by the removal of doors and steps, and the addition of a rear wing to house a community hall, children’s theater,
and children’s library section. The rear addition is clad in dark brown brick and trimmed in pre-cast concrete. A
veranda extends from College Street south up a ramp with eight concrete piers supporting the roof. Large
spherical lights are suspended from the ceiling above the entrance ramp. The old Iowa City Public Library was vacated in 1981 when the new library was completed. The University of Iowa now uses it as offices.
2017 Update: This two-story building appears to be structurally the same as stated in the previous survey. Now this building is occupied by apartments instead of the previous office space.
8. Statement of Significance This building is a well-executed example of a Classical Revival style public library building. It was one of a series of quasi-public or civic buildings constructed along South Linn Street in the decades immediately preceding and
following the turn-of-the 20th century. Modifications to the entrance and the rear diminish its significance somewhat but the building remains individually eligible for the National Register under Criteria A & C. It also
serves as a contributing structure to a potential historic district or conservation district.
The Iowa City Public Library first opened quarters in two rented rooms above the C.O.D. Laundry at 211 East Iowa Avenue in 1897 under the auspices of the Iowa City Public Library Association. Four years later it moved to 212 East College Street where it remained until 1904. The Library Association championed the need for a library and in 1902 the group petitioned Andrew Carnegie for a grant. In March of that year, the Library Association was
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02230
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 2
Old Iowa City Public Library Johnson
Name of Property County
218 S. Linn Street Iowa City
Address City
informed that $25,000 would be granted for its construction if the city would provide a site and $2,500 annually for its operation. This amount was deemed insufficient by the library planners and after several requests for a larger
amount, Judge Martin Wade of the Library Board was successful in getting the amount increased by Carnegie to $35,000. Completion of the building and its furnishings would nevertheless prove a challenging task for the Library Board.
As required by the Carnegie grant, securing the library site the next step. The Library Board considered six sites
in or near the downtown with four located along South Linn Street. This site was eventually selected though it
was likely not the first choice of Library Board members. This location was consistent with a practice that evolved
for locating public and civic buildings along the eastern fringe of the downtown begun in the late 19th century. Other examples included the original City Hall at 230 E. Washington (1881), the former Post Office at 28 S. Linn (1904, 1931 addition), and three fraternal halls - the Knights of Columbus Building, the Elks Building, and the Masonic Temple – all located just east of Linn Street.
Once funding was approved and a site was selected, the Library Board retained the Des Moines architectural firm
of Liebbe, Nourse and Rasmussen. Liebbe had served as state architect for the previous five years and the firm
was designing the Iowa City High School at the time the library commission became available. The Des Moines
firm had no previous experience designing libraries but members of the Library Board appeared unconcerned
because of the firm’s general experience both locally and around the state. Low bidder for the general contract was Sheets and Freyder of Iowa City with C. Hurley the successful bidder for the heating and plumbing work. After two bid cycles, the electrical contract went to Tri-Cities Electric of Davenport. F.X. Freyder, company owner, oversaw the work on behalf of his company.
The most difficult aspects of the building’s construction revolved around provisions for stone cutting for the project
and overall cost cutting. After considerable debate it was finally determined that local stone cutters would be
used for building stone with off-site cutters used for molded stone in order to save money and assure completion
of quality work. Construction began with groundbreaking on July 10, 1903 and continued through 1904. W.P. Coast, George Hummer and George Ball served as the building committee on behalf of the Library Board. They retained J.J. Hotz, another local contractor, to serve as the Library Board’s general superintendent to monitor the quality of the work and assure timely completion. Cost savings during the course of construction allowed the
Board to furnish the building – a major expense that originally went unfunded. The library opened on October 27,
1904 with formal dedication a month later. The Iowa City Public Library was one of 46 to be built in Iowa with the
benefit of Carnegie grants between 1901 and 1904.
Plans to build a new public library in Iowa City surfaced during the early 1970s at the same time that efforts were
underway to implement a downtown urban renewal program. A location for the new library was eventually chosen diagonally across the street from the Carnegie Library. Following its completion in 1981, the Carnegie Library was vacated and space leased to the University of Iowa for office space. This use continues in 2000 with the University now owning the former library building.
9. Major Bibliographic References Iowa City city directories.
Property Transfer Records, Johnson County Auditor’s Office. Tax Assessor’s Records, City of Iowa City Assessor.
Sanborn maps, 1874, 1879, 1888, 1892, 1899, 1906, 1912, 1920, 1926, 1933, and 1933 updated to 1970.
Eggers, Lolly Parker. A Century of Stories: The History of the Iowa City Public Library, 1896-1977. Iowa City:
Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundation, 1997.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02230
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 3
Old Iowa City Public Library Johnson
Name of Property County
218 S. Linn Street Iowa City
Address City
Additional Documentation Full Legal Description: Original Town, Block 65, Lot 4 and West 55’ of Lot 3. Plat Map:
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02230
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 4
Old Iowa City Public Library Johnson
Name of Property County
218 S. Linn Street Iowa City
Address City
Photograph:
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02230
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 5
Old Iowa City Public Library Johnson
Name of Property County
218 S. Linn Street Iowa City
Address City
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 52-02230
Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number
Continuation Sheet
Page 6
Old Iowa City Public Library Johnson
Name of Property County
218 S. Linn Street Iowa City
Address City