St. Charles library turns 100

The community is invited to an open house celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Carnegie Building from 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 at the St. Charles Public Library, 1 S. Sixth Ave. Enjoy refreshments, tours and a concert in the Carnegie Community Room featuring the Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra's Maude Powell String Quartet at 2 p.m.

The board of directors, with Clara Farson as president, wrote a letter to Andrew Carnegie and requested funds for a public library in St. Charles. Carnegie's personal secretary responded with a letter, dated Dec. 13, 1906, which informed the library board that "Mr. Carnegie will be glad to give $12,500 to erect a Free Public Library for St. Charles."

The original building was erected at a cost of $15,000 with $12,500 from the grant and $2,500 funded by local donations. It opened in December 1908. The Library Association donated its collection to the new library. Mary Stewart was hired as the first librarian. At that time, Theodore Roosevelt was the President of the United States and the population of the city of St. Charles was around 3,000.

Other city of St. Charles landmarks that were built around the same time: the old city building was constructed in 1893, the old Haines School was built in 1899, gas mains were installed in 1901, water mains were installed in 1903, mail delivery began in 1904, Colonial Ice Cream was founded in 1905, Four Square Gospel Church was built in 1905, Mount St. Mary's Academy opened in 1907, Evan Shelby School was built in 1911, St. Patrick Church was built in 1912 and Lambert Hospital was completed in 1913.