Carnegie Library
| Area | Address | Building Status | Architectural Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown | 815 W Washington St Boise, Idaho 83702 |
Public | Neo-Classical |
The Carnegie Library was finished in 1905. The main architects of the building were John Tourtellotte and partner, Charles Hummel. The library was mainly founded by a group of women in Boise called the Womens Columbian Club who wrote a letter to Andrew Carnegie and received a grant from him to build the library. Carnegie was the main money provider for the project. When the building was completed it became Boise's first public library. Through the years a bigger library was built leaving only a remembrance of the heritage of the Carnegie Library. In 1974 the building was put on the National Registry, making it a historical marker in Boise. Renaissance revival is the style of the building showcasing adaptations of Greek or Roman styles. The style was supposed to reflect a respect for wisdom and scholarship through towering columns, prominent keystones beset upon swooping arches. Also notably the sandstone foundation was quarried from Table Rock. Now the building is used as a law office restored by Cosho Humphrey Greener and Welsh Law Firm (later remained Greener Banducci Shoemaker Law Firm).
Building submitted by Pavel Chtcheprov, Katie Meier and Jill Sotto
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The BAP is an education project, not a commercial site. All pictures on this website were taken by BAP participants unless otherwise noted. Student research was compiled from interviews with building owners, architects, and/or occupants, with help from preservation experts in the community. We try our best to do quality research but we cannot guarantee the veracity of our oral and historical research. If you see an inaccuracy, please help us by emailing BAP advisor Doug StanWiens at info@boisearchitecture.org.
