The Bradenton Carnegie Library is a Carnegie library in

Bradenton, Florida Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698. History Late 18th and early 19th centuries ...

. It was founded in 1918, served as Bradenton's main library for 60 years, and now houses the Manatee County Historical Records Library. It was added to the U.S.

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1987.

History

Steel magnate and philanthropist

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...

provided funding for more than 3,000 Carnegie libraries in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, Canada, and Europe. The Bradenton Carnegie Library, in

Bradenton Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698. History Late 18th and early 19th centuries A settlement established by Maroons or escaped sl ...

, was one of ten Florida Carnegie libraries to receive grants from the

Carnegie Corporation of New York The Carnegie Corporation of New York is a philanthropic fund established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to support education programs across the United States, and later the world. Carnegie Corporation has endowed or otherwise helped to establis ...

between 1901 and 1917, six of which still stand. When the residents of Bradenton first approached the Carnegie foundation seeking a grant around 1906, they were turned down. It was only after repeated negotiations with the foundation that Bradenton was eventually awarded a $10,000 grant for the creation of the library. The Library is an important piece in the library history of Manatee County, serving as one of the libraries that marked the beginnings of the County’s library system. It was also the base of operations for the county’s very first bookmobile in 1956. Bradenton Carnegie Library

The library was built in the

Classical Revival Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...

style to Carnegie Library Plans #205. Carnegie Libraries were normally constructed with basements, however due to being in Florida this was not able to occur, so the library is two stories tall to fulfill requirements. The original Bradenton Carnegie library opened in 1918 and served as Bradenton's main library for 60 years. Although its address is 1405 Fourth Avenue, West, the library actually faces onto 14th Street, West. The original 14th Street facade has been obscured by an addition that did not follow the style of the original building. The library was employed as the first meeting place for the Manatee Genealogical Society, whose first meeting was held in 1974. It would continue to be used by the Society until 1979, when the group relocated to the newly opened Central Library. The Carnegie Library’s function as the primary library of Manatee County ceased with the opening of the Central Library in 1978. Allin, Jean (1979) "Please Don't Bury the Records," Tampa Bay History: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1, Article 10. Available at: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tampabayhistory/vol1/iss1/10 Soon after the opening of Bradenton’s Central Library, the Carnegie Library was leased by then County Clerk of Manatee County Richard “Chips” Shore. He did this with the intention of setting up the building as a new historical records library. Allin, Jean (1979) "Please Don't Bury the Records," Tampa Bay History: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1, Article 10. Available at: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/tampabayhistory/vol1/iss1/10 This new historical records library opened to the public on June 1, 1979. On April 9, 1987, it was added to the

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

National Register of Historic Places. Today, it is the Historical Records Library operated by the office of the Manatee County Clerk of the Circuit Court, and serves as the official archives of the county government. The site contains more than 100,000 official records, which includes governmental records, marriage licenses, maps, yearbooks, voter registration books, and military discharge books among many other items, that date back to 1856. The library also houses the Herb Loomis Manatee County Postcard Collection and the Steve Belack Crosley collection. Its staff provide assistance to researchers and those seeking to learn about the county's history.

References

External links

Manatee County listings
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National Register of Historic Places

Florida's Office of Cultural and Historical Programs
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Manatee County listings
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Bradenton Carnegie Library

Manatee County Historical Records Library
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Collections
{{Bradenton, Florida Library buildings completed in 1918 Libraries in Florida Buildings and structures in Bradenton, Florida National Register of Historic Places in Manatee County, Florida Carnegie libraries in Florida Libraries on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida