The Village Chapel, Cleveland, Ohio - Carnegie Library Buildings on Waymarking.com

The Cleveland Public Library traces its roots back to a humble beginning in 1869 in a small rented room near Public Square in downtown Cleveland. Over the years, the library grew and expanded. William Howard Brett became the head of the Library in 1884, and would serve in that capacity until his death in 1918. Brett was successful in lobbying Andrew Carnegie for a total of $590,000 to build fifteen branch libraries in Cleveland.

The ten-sided Broadway Free Library is a uniquely-styled building. It was designed by architect Charles Morris, who also designed the Cuyahoga County Courthouse. The building sits on a lot north of the intersection of East 55th Street and Broadway Avenue. The lot is narrow because the two streets intersect at a rather sharp angle. Because of this, there is an entrance from each of these streets into the former library building. The East 55th entrance is the more ornate of the two. From street level, the original profile of the building seems to have been compromised by a newer building to the south; however, aerial views show that the original decagonal structure remains intact. The interior of the building seems to have been as interesting as the outside. A rotunda ringed by columns at the center of the library was where the circulation desk was. The library was decorated with bust of famous authors, and skylights illuminated the building.

The Broadway Free Library was open from 1906 until 1987, when it was sold to the Cleveland Teachers Union. In the 1990s, a restaurant occupied the building. Recently, the Village Chapel has taken up residence in the building and has displayed their name at the Broadway Avenue entrance.

References:
CaseWiki
Cleveland Public Library
Armentrout, Mary Ellen: Carnegie Libraries of Ohio

Address of Library Building: 5437 Broadway Avenue 3328 East 55th Street Cleveland, Ohio USA 44127 Current Use of Building: Village Chapel Year Built (optional): 1904 Website about building: [Web Link]

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