National Register of Historic Places

Summer Branch Library

Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
Listed
May 25, 2000
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
00000539

About this property

Sumner Library is a public library located in the Near North neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Established in 1915 and named after Charles Sumner, a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts known for his strong stance against slavery, it was the second of the four Carnegie libraries built in Minneapolis. In the early 20th century, the Sumner Library served as a haven for Jewish immigrants. In response to a survey indicating that 95% of the library's patrons were Jewish immigrants, the Minneapolis Public Library moved its entire collection of Yiddish and Hebrew works to the Sumner Library branch. Over the decades, its focus shifted to meet the needs of arriving Scandinavian, Russian, Black American, Southeast Asian, and East African residents as the neighborhood's demographics changed. Many patrons learned English there and participated in social clubs held in the building. The Tudor Revival building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 2008, Sumner and the 14 other libraries of the Minneapolis Public Library were merged into the combined urban/suburban Hennepin County Library system. The Sumner Library celebrated its 100th anniversary on October 10, 2015.

Location

611 Emerson Ave. N
Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota
44.98488, -93.29475

Categories

EDUCATIONSOCIAL HISTORY
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Summer Branch Library

This page lists Summer Branch 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:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Summer Branch Library report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Northwestern Knitting Company Factory
Industrial
0.4 mi
Lohmar, John, House
Industrial
0.7 mi
Cameron Transfer and Storage Company Building
Industrial
0.7 mi
Maternity Hospital
Industrial
0.8 mi
Laurel Apartments
Industrial
0.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Summer Branch Library listed on the National Register?

Summer Branch Library was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 25, 2000.

What type of historic resource is Summer Branch Library?

Summer Branch Library is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Summer Branch Library?

The period of significance for Summer Branch Library is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Summer Branch 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 Summer Branch Library will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Hennepin County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Hennepin County.

Explore HennepinCounty ›

More historic places in Minnesota

Browse all historic places in Minnesota.

View Minnesotahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Minnesota history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Minnesotahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Summer Branch Library will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report