National Register of Historic Places

Greenville Public Library

Greenville, Bond County, Illinois
Listed
August 3, 1995
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
95000991

About this property

The Greenville Public Library is located in the Bond County, Illinois city of Greenville. It was built in 1905 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. In January 1856, the Ladies Social Circle of Greenville met to form a group to promote the intellectual and moral elevation of society. For nearly fifty years this group raised funds to support a library. In late 1800s, the Ladies Library Association raised $1,000.00 from the community and collected 4,000 books. The first book purchased for the library's holdings was the Holy Bible. At first the library was housed in the librarian's home, then in rented rooms, and eventually in the courthouse. In 1903, Andrew Carnegie was contacted for possible funds. His donation of $10,000 was used to construct a public library to be built on city-owned land and which was to be tax supported. Architect Paul O. Moratz of Bloomington, Illinois, designed the Classical Revival style structure. The library opened in August 1905 after much community support and work. The library houses 25,000 volumes plus video tapes and audio books. The holdings of the Bond County Genealogical Society are housed on the lower level of the library. The collection also includes every issue of the Greenville Advocate, the local newspaper, from the 1858 to present, on microfilm. The Greenville Public Library is a member of the Illinois Heartland Library System and offers many services. One notably unique service is that patrons may check out fishing poles provided by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (three-day loan). Greenville Public Library: National Scenic Byways Program.

Location

414 W. Main Ave.
Greenville, Bond County, Illinois
38.89179, -89.41593

Categories

SOCIAL HISTORYEDUCATION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

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.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Old Main, Almira College
Industrial
0.6 mi
Vandalia Statehouse
Industrial
17.4 mi
Little Brick House
Industrial
17.7 mi
First Presbyterian Church
Industrial
18 mi
Blackman, George, House
Industrial
18.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Greenville Public Library listed on the National Register?

Greenville Public Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 3, 1995.

What type of historic resource is Greenville Public Library?

Greenville Public Library is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Greenville Public Library?

The period of significance for Greenville Public Library is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Greenville Public Library?

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