A Scotsman who immigrated to the States and made his fortune revolutionizing the steel industry in Pittsburgh, philanthropist Andrew Carnegie used his immense wealth to fund the construction of over 2000 libraries across the globe from 1883 to 1929.
When Middletown was given $25,000 in the early 20th century to build and run one of these libraries, the corner of First Avenue and Curtis Street changed forever.
Above: Exterior of the building. It’s been vacant for nearly 15 years, and the weather has taken its toll on the building. Note the ADA-accessible ramp to the right.
Below: Close-ups of the library from different perspectives.
Though the cornerstone reads 1911, the library didn’t formally open until January 1913. It received two additions over the course of the next few decades before formally closing as a library in the early 1980s when Middletown opened its current location nearby.
After playing host to several failed business attempts and having much of its original decor and turn-of-the-century charm removed or altered by previous owners, it was vacated and left to rot in the early 2000s. Over the next roughly 15 years, Middletown’s historic library would rapidly degrade and crumble into a rubble-laden shadow of its former self.
People experiencing homelessness found refuge in rooms throughout the building while artists graffitied its basement, and scrappers relieved the library of its copper wiring.
Above: The main section of the library, looking toward and through the front door (visible in the lower middle of the image).
Below: Staircase details to the second floor.
Today, stairs are covered in detritus, the roof has an unauthorized skylight, layers of dirt obscure the marble floors, and iron and steel work throughout the building bear rough flakes of persimmon-hued rust.
The plaster walls have since crumbled, exposing the concrete and brick beneath. Light fixtures dangle with broken bulbs, and barely any windows have unbroken glass.
Despite its condition, the Carnegie Library retains many 100-year-old remnants that preserve a hint of the building’s original personality.
Above: Original iron railing and banister leading down to the basement level.
Below: The ornate details in the stairwell.
In 2018, a new owner, Dan, purchased the building for a low price and sought to bring it back online with a combination brewery, restaurant, and office after an expensive renovation.
As a historic preservationist and architect, Dan was the right person to respect the history of this place while also giving it new purpose. He never intended to bulldoze or gut the library to make a quick profit. Middletown would benefit from Dan leading its historic Carnegie Library into a new era while catalyzing development in that part of the city.
Above: The top floor looking up through the rafters toward the half-moon window on the facade of the library.
Below: Details within that room, including intricate brickwork and leftover original plaster.
Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way.
It’s not for me to share why Dan’s vision never came to be, but I can say it’s not because Dan didn’t have the passion or drive to pull it off.
His architectural drawings, research of the building, and understanding of what makes the building physically unique made him an ideal owner of an old, important building like this one. Forces beyond his control ultimately led him to decide to list the property.
The Carnegie Library is listed by Rebecca Weber (Comey & Shepard) for $175,000. View it here. ✤
ADDITIONAL IMAGES
A dumbwaiter stands across from a short set of stairs leading to a doorway that overlooks the main hall.
It is believed that this is the only remaining original glass shade for the ceiling light fixtures in the main hall.
Above: Stairs leading to the basement level of the building.
Below: Other rooms in the basement. Several of them are very large.
In the back of the building on the first floor, the empty stacks can be found.
More of the former stacks.
If you look up while in the stacks, you can see the original marble floor panels that separate the two floors.
Above: The front room of the library, just beyond the front door.
Below: Window details in three rooms of the building. One of the windows in the main hall still has some of its glass and a sun shade.
A small, tiled bathroom in the basement.
The roof on the back side of the building has been punched with holes over the years.
The main section of the library, looking toward and through the front door (visible in the middle of the image).