![]() Fairfield became one of the few cities that had two Carnegie Libraries. Parsons College later received a grant to build a Carnegie Library. ![]() This served as the model for 2,700 libraries worldwide. Wilson met with Andrew Carnegie and secured a grant to build the first community-based library in the U.S. Fairfield is the site of the prototype Carnegie library. Commercial and institutional architecture were influenced by the Louden Industries, including the Louden Foundry. A 1930s bank building was designed in the Streamline Moderne style. Ultimately, over 1,600 residents of Jefferson County served in the Union Army.Įarly architecture in Fairfield includes Victorian houses designed by George Franklin Barber as well a 1915 house designed by Barry Byrne, who trained under Frank Lloyd Wright. During the time leading up to the American Civil War, Fairfield was a stopping point for the Underground Railroad. In 1893 the Carnegie Library was completed, the first west of the Mississippi. It is estimated that between 7,000 and 10,000 fair goers attended this historical event. The total cost to hold the fair was around $320, and public admission was 25 cents per person. The first fair was held October 25–27, 1854 on 6 acres (24,000 m 2) of land surrounded by a 10-foot-high (3.0 m) fence. The library has over 220,000 items and received accreditation from the State Library of Iowa in 2009. ![]() Then in May 1996, the library moved to its present location on West Adams Street. The Carnegie building on the corner of Washington and Court streets became the library's home on November 28, 1893. Fairfield's library became the first Carnegie Library outside of Pennsylvania or Scotland funded by Andrew Carnegie, who donated $40,000 to build the library. It was first housed in a rented room off the city square. Fairfield's library was established in 1853, and was the first library in the state of Iowa. ![]()
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