Quincy Branch, Cleveland, Ohio
Posted by: 
boatchick
N 41° 29.615 W 081° 38.008
17T E 447123 N 4593745
With the assistance of grants from Andrew Carnegie, fifteen branch libraries were built in Cleveland during the period from 1904 to 1920. The Quincy Branch is no longer in use as a library.
Waymark Code: WM5AD2
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 12/06/2008
Views: 18
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.
Like the Carnegie South and Superior branch libraries, Quincy branch was designed by Andrew Carnegie's brother-in-law, Henry Whitfield. The library opened in 1914. The yellow brick building had concrete walls, floors, and stairways, making it nearly fireproof. In 1973, the library was renamed Langston Hughes branch (not to be confused with today's Langston Hughes branch located at 10200 Superior Avenue.) The library was closed in 1977, and information about the building over the next 30 years is not easily found. A Google search turns up "E FT PRINTING & PUBLISHING INC" at that address; however, Google Street Views shows the building with plywood over the windows and a banner reading "LANGSTON HUGHES CENTER" over the door. Although the satellite imagery as of December 2008 shows a boarded-up, seemingly abandoned building, a visit in person provides more encouraging information. A new addition is being added to the north side of the building. The old Carnegie building is cleaned up, has new glass in the windows, and, from the street, looks like the interior has been remodeled. A construction worker on site said that the building was to be reopened as a senior center.
References:
Armentrout, Mary Ellen: Carnegie Libraries of Ohio
Cleveland Public Library