Chariton Public Library

Chariton Public Library is located in Chariton, Iowa, United States. The Library and Reading Room Association was formed in Chariton in 1879, but it was short-lived. The county superintendent of schools started a teachers' library in the courthouse sometime afterward. By this time the community had a library of 800 volumes.[2] There was an effort by study clubs in town in 1898 to raise money and establish a free public library. The Chariton Federation of Women's Clubs took the lead and opened a library with the books from the courthouse in two rooms above Gibbons Drug Store on the town square. Citizens approved a local tax to support the library the following year.

Chariton Free Public Library
Location803 Braden
Chariton, Iowa
Coordinates41°0′57″N 93°18′20″W
AreaLess than one acre
Built1904
Built byJohnson & Best
ArchitectPatton & Miller
Architectural styleClassical Revival
Part ofLucas County Courthouse Square Historic District (ID14000324)
NRHP reference No.05000906[1]
Added to NRHPAugust 24, 2005

Librarian Margaret Brown and Library Board President Thomas Gay applied to the Carnegie Corporation of New York for a grant to build a library building, and on January 13, 1903 they were awarded $11,000.[3] The Chicago architectural firm of Patton & Miller was chosen to design the new building. It was dedicated on October 28, 1904. The Neoclassical style building is a single-story structure of dark brown rock-faced brick with Bedford stone trim. The symmetrical facade features a projecting portico with stone columns in the Doric order, brick pilasters, a stone cornice, and a triangular brick and stone pediment. The building is capped with a hip roof The interior plan of the building became known as the "Chariton Plan" because it was first used here before it was used for other libraries in Iowa.[2]

In 1993 the Mason City, Iowa architectural firm of Bergland & Cram designed an addition that was added to the rear of the building. The library building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.[1] In 2014 it was included as a contributing property in the Lucas County Courthouse Square Historic District.[4]

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. Molly Myers Naumann. "Chariton Free Public Library". National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-08-09. with photos
  3. "Carnegie Libraries of Iowa Project-Chariton Public Library". University of Iowa. Retrieved 2016-08-09.
  4. Molly Myers Naumann. "Lucas County Courthouse Square Historic District" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2016-08-09.


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