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Marion Public Library (Marion, Ohio)

Coordinates: 40°35′14″N 83°07′11″W / 40.5873°N 83.1197°W / 40.5873; -83.1197
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Front of the library

The Marion Public Library building, now the Explore-it-torium Children's Museum of Marion, is a historic Carnegie library in Marion, Ohio. Funded with a Carnegie Grant in 1905, the public library opened in 1907.[1] The library was designed by Richards, McCarty & Bulford of Columbus, Ohio.[2] The architectural firm also designed the Frank Huber Residence, located at 416 Church Street (diagonal from the current library building) and the Huber Building, a five-story department store in Marion.

Andrew Carnegie donated $30,000 to build the library. It was designed in the Beaux Arts style. The historic building closed in 1978 and is now part of the Trinity Baptist Church complex.[3]

New library

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A newer Marion Public Library was constructed in 1978 on the site of the Greenwood Street School[3] at 445 East Church Street. In 1997 additional construction occurred adding more space on both floors.

Library history

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Industrialist Edward Huber established Marion's first library in 1886,[4] the Mechanics Library.[3] It was a subscription library for his employees and other employers joined in to form a library association. The library was open to the public by 1891 and was funded by a tax levy.[2]

The library was expanded in 1957 and again in 1963.[2] The Carnegie library was purchased by Trinity Baptist Church in 1979 for $125,000 and remodeled.[1][5]

The Marion Public Library was featured on a postcard.[6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Our History Trinity Baptist Church in Marion
  2. ^ a b c Trinity Baptist Church Waymarking.com (includes photos)
  3. ^ a b c Marion Randy Winland
  4. ^ Marion History » Huber Archived 2013-12-25 at the Wayback Machine May 14, 2012 Marion Star
  5. ^ Carnegie Libraries of Ohio by Mary Ellen Armentrout
  6. ^ "Ohio Carnegie Libraries D - M". Archived from the original on 24 December 2013.
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40°35′14″N 83°07′11″W / 40.5873°N 83.1197°W / 40.5873; -83.1197