Springfield City Library - 1911 - Springfield, MA
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 06.198 W 072° 35.072
18T E 699725 N 4664069
The Springfield City Library is an exceptionally beautiful building located on 220 State St., Springfield, MA.
Waymark Code: WMMKCA
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 10/02/2014
Views: 2
Construction of the Springfield City Library began on April 1, 1909 at a cost of $240,000 with funds from Andrew Carnegie funds and $155,000 in contributions from the citizens of Springfield. The Italian Renaissance Revival style building was completed in 1911 and opened to the public for the first time on January 10 1912. The library was constructed of reinforced concrete, a pink granite base, surrounded by white Vermont marble and finished with a green tile roof. A frieze of white terra cotta completely encircles the building.
The Rotunda located in the center court has Corinthian columns, balustrade, elaborate architectural details and amber-tinted glass dome and a bronze bust of Andrew Carnegie. A frieze of horses and riders inspired by bas-relief ornamentation of the Parthenon enhances the entry leading to the Rotunda from State Street.
In 1974 the Central Library was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1998 the Rotunda was restored to its original elegance with a matching grant from the Massachusetts Historical Commission. The building is on the State Historic Register and is part of the Quadrangle- Mattoon Historic District in the City of Springfield.
A plaque above the bust of Andrew Carnegie in the rotunda of the building is inscribed:
CITY LIBRARY
THIS BUILDING
WAS GIVEN BY
ANDREW CARNEGIE
AND
CITIZENS
OF SPRINGFIELD
MCMXI