Tag Archives: library

-South Carolina, Libraries, National Register of Historic Places

Union, South Carolina’s Carnegie Free Library

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At the beginning of the 20th century, steel magnate Andrew Carnegie funded the creation of thousands of libraries across the U.S., including 15 in South Carolina. The first of these in the state was the Carnegie Free Library in Union County, commissioned in 1903 and built in 1905. Designed in the Beaux Arts style by Wheeler & Runge, the library became a local landmark with its notable architectural features. Today, it remains one of only four Carnegie Libraries still standing in South Carolina and fewer than 1,000 nationwide.

Image from the Library of Congress
-Georgia, Libraries

Hawkes Children’s Library of West Point, Georgia

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Built in 1922, the Hawkes Children’s Library in West Point, Georgia was the dream of Albert King Hawkes (1848-1916) who believed rural areas should have access to libraries, too. An Atlanta optometrist, he had hoped to build at least 100 libraries, but he died before seeing any built. The West Point library was designed by architect L. B. “Chip” Robert’s firm. It was built by the construction firm, Batson and Cook, a company that still exists today.

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

His library in Griffin can be seen here.

-Georgia, Libraries

Hawkes Free Children’s Library in Griffin, Georgia

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Hawkes Free Children Libraries were the vision of Albert King Hawkes (1848-1916), an Atlanta optometrist, inventor, and philanthropist. He wanted people in rural areas to have more access to libraries and theaters.

He died before his dream came to fruition. In his will, he left money to build libraries across the state. The Griffin library, designed by Neel Reid and completed in 1917, is one of six remaining libraries and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hawkes is buried in Westview Cemetery in Atlanta.

1902 mention in The Atlanta Journal

His library in West Point can be seen here.

-South Carolina, Black History, Libraries, Schools

Faith Cabin Library-The Final Extant Building of Seneca Junior College in Seneca, South Carolina

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The Seneca Institute was a school built in 1899 in Seneca, South Carolina, to educate Black schoolchildren. It was founded by the Seneca River Baptist Association. In 1926, it added two years of college, and it became the Seneca Junior College.

Undated image of the Seneca Junior College before it was razed. The image is courtesy of Seneca Echoes by Nora Nimmons Field (1954).

Faith Cabin Libraries began in rural South Carolina, where, due to segregation, African Americans did not have access to public libraries. Willie Lee Buffington and Euriah Simpkins created the idea of these libraries. A letter-writing campaign focused on preachers provided funding.

In 1937, the Faith Cabin Library at the Seneca Junior College was built and filled with books provided by Oberlin College.

It was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 2012.

-Georgia, Libraries

Carnegie Library-Montezuma, Georgia

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Funded in 1906 by Andrew Carnegie for $10,000, the library began construction later that year. Masons banded together to assist in the construction and modeled the building after the library built in Albany.