Drake Public Library
About this property
Drake Public Library is a public library located in Centerville, Iowa, United States. It was established in 1901, and the building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Previous to the establishment of a public library, Centerville had a reading room founded by the Ladies of the Reading Room Library Association Group in 1896. Around the turn of the 20th century citizens started to investigate the possibility of establishing a library and approaching the Carnegie Corporation of New York to fund a new building. They approached Francis M. Drake, a former Civil War general, local attorney, banker, businessman, governor of Iowa and philanthropist to join their effort. He refused saying he would prefer to fund the new library himself. Drake sent an official proposal to the city council on April 9, 1901. He would donate both the new building and the books with the requirement that the city was to maintain the building and take care of the annual expenses. The building was designed in the Neoclassical style by Des Moines architect C.E. Eastman. J.W. Sanderson of Burlington, Iowa was contracted to build the new library for $23,521. Its dedication was held on January 15, 1903. A handicapped entrance and an elevator were added to the building in 1986. Renovation of the glass dome was done in 2003, and an interior renovation was completed in 2008. The 49-by-92-foot (15 by 28 m) brick structure is two stories in height, and built on a raised foundation. The central pavilion of the main facade features columns in the Ionic order and a shallow dome over the center of the roof. Heavy pilasters frame the center and are capped with large stone orbs. The two entrance doors are reached by a large exterior staircase. Two rectangular wings extend from the pavilion. The north wing originally housed the books, while the south wing housed the reading rooms. The circulation desk is in the rotunda, which is capped with a stained glass dome. A curving staircase that was originally located in the east side of the rotunda has been replaced by the elevator, and a new staircase was built in the northeast corner.
Location
Categories
Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Drake Public Library
This page lists Drake Public Library. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Questions about this property
When was Drake Public Library listed on the National Register?
Drake Public Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 30, 1997.
What type of historic resource is Drake Public Library?
Drake Public Library is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Drake Public Library?
The period of significance for Drake Public Library is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Drake Public Library?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Drake Public Library will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
More in Appanoose County
Historic places, battles, and census history across Appanoose County.
Explore AppanooseCounty ›Research the history near this site
An Aubrey US report for an address near Drake Public Library will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.