Carnegie Public Library - Big Timber, MT - Libraries on Waymarking.com

Waymark Code: WMWC2W

Location: Montana, United States

Date Posted: 08/11/2017

Published By: Where's George

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Both the Progressive Citizens Party and the Civic League of Big Timber influenced the political policies with their pledges for "the advancement, betterment and general welfare of our town," and the desire to cure social ills such as the exploitation of women and children, alcohol abuse, and corruption. After 1907, the city council had voted for several civic improvements such as a city water works, concrete sidewalks, streets and streetlights, and a city park, in an effort to strive for "a bigger, better and more beautiful Big Timber," and so "Big Timber [could] keep pace with other progressive cities in the state.. ." The establishment of a public library was one of the first priorities for the newly incorporated City of Big Timber, and was authorized in 1902. Library Association President J.A. Lowry expressed reasons for a library at Big Timber in 1914:

Big Timber is the county seat of Sweet Grass County, the only town of any size in the county, and the center of a large ranching, stock growing, and farming district. They come to Big Timber for from 25 to 30 miles from all directions, and in some directions much father than that, and we are quite anxious to do our part to take care and interest these people, as well as help to educate them when they do come. There is not a place in Big Timber for them to spend the evening unless it is hanging around the hotel or, what is the same thing here, a salon, or pool hall, so we thot [sic] that by opening the Library building each evening to our local people as well as those from the country, we would not only be educating them in the right way, but keeping them from falling by the wayside, as so many do in these western towns.

On March 26, 1911, J.A. Lowry, the president of the Big Timber Library Association, wrote to Andrew Carnegie requesting funds for a library building:

Dear Sir:
I presume every mail brings you solicitations for aid for some good cause in all parts of the world, many of which we know you respond to, and, of course, thousands which you are unable to answer. We trust that we may be one of the many whom you aid, as we believe we have fine opening here for a good providing we are able to get a little outside help. Our situation is as follows:
Big Timber, Montana is a town of 1800 inhabitants situated on the main line of the Western Pacific Railroad midway between St. Paul and Seattle. The Big Timber Public Library here has been in existence seven years, we have 1300 volumes in our library and are adding to it each year, we bought and paid for two lots in cent [sic] of town very conveniently situated worth about $1000.00.

The people of Big Timber and surrounding country are quite enthusiastic for a building, and trust that you can see your way clear to aid us in erecting a building that will be an honor to the town and those who aided in building it...
From the NRHP Registration Form

An alternative to saloons and pool halls, the Big Timber Library stayed open evenings in 1914, with the hope of “not only … educating [people] … in the right way, but keeping them from falling by the wayside, as so many do in these western towns.” Big Timber’s first library, a “branch” of the Parmley Billings Library, was a shelf of books in a local store in 1901. By 1911, the library, then housed in the Town Hall, had grown to 1,300 volumes, and the community approached industrialist and library patron Andrew Carnegie for funding for a new building. Carnegie provided $7,500, stipulating, as he did with all his library grants, that Big Timber provide a building site and commit tax funds to support library services. Like many other Carnegie libraries, this “temple of learning,” designed by the architectural firm of Link and Haire and built in 1914, embraces Classical Revival elements made popular for civic buildings by the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. One of 17 Carnegie libraries in Montana, its floor plan matches one Carnegie’s assistant recommended for small libraries. Decorated with Tuscan columns and a pedimented entry, the symmetrical one-story building has a hipped roof, large windows, a daylight basement (which houses a meeting room) and a flight of stairs leading to the main floor (which contains reading rooms and open stacks). It is a fine example of “Carnegie Classic” design, personalized by a façade of river rock at the basement level.
From the NRHP plaque at the building