2010 Terry Winner - Jefferson Carnegie Library

Jefferson Carnegie Library
301 West Lafayette St.
Jefferson, TX 75657
(903) 665-8911
www.JeffersonCarnegieLibrary.com

This is an active public building, open free of charge from 10 to 6, Mondays through Thursdays; 10 to 5 on Fridays; and 10 to 3 on Saturdays. The upper floor may be rented for receptions and presentations, as a lecture space, ballroom or banqueting hall, with a capacity for theater seating or dining tables for 200 guests. It has a catering kitchen, an elevator, and is ADA accessible on both floors.

Other Awards: Texas Historical Commission, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1966; National Register of Historic Places.

Historic Significance: As an East Texas landmark, Jefferson's Carnegie Library is notable for its beauty but also for the fact that it has survived. Philanthropist Andrew Carnegie funded the construction of 32 city libraries in Texas. Only 14 remain, and only four still serve as city libraries. Jefferson's is the only one in East Texas which still operates as a public library today. Clarksville's burned in 1980; Corsicana's was razed in 1967; Greenville's was torn down in 1953; Pittsburgh's burned in 1939; Winnsboro's was demolished in 1967; and no one seems to remember when Sulphur Springs's was destroyed. Palestine's Carnegie Library now houses the Chamber of Commerce, while Terrell's is the Terrell Heritage Museum and Tyler's is the Smith County Historical Museum. The library that Carnegie funded at Wiley College, in Marshall, is now called the Willis J. King Administration Building.

History of the Structure: Jefferson in 1870 was the sixth-largest city in Texas, and only Galveston had a greater volume of commercial trade. Jefferson prospered on steamboat traffic, but in 1873 the Army Corps of Engineers exploded a raft in the Red River that made the water-level drop. Also, the Texas and Pacific Railroad completed tracks which caused Dallas, Shreveport, Texarkana, and Longview to flourish, while Jefferson's population fell more than 50 percent, from 1872 to 1885. Jefferson lost its key industry, the Kelly Plow Company, and failed to attract a college, but its handsome Victorian buildings and atmosphere of Old South refinement were powerful assets. Civic leaders and merchants continued to portray their town as a citadel of culture. In 1902, an effort to maintain a Y.M.C.A. collapsed, leaving the Ladies Auxiliary its carpets, furniture, 30 books, and a bookcase. The ladies opened a small library, and volunteers held teas and membership drives to raise funds. In 1907, Allen Urquhart recommended that they apply to Andrew Carnegie for help.

The Carnegie Library Association in Jefferson formed with 33 members led by Mrs. W. J. Sedberry as president, and a Building Committee under Allen Urquhart. The local paper, the Jimplecute , carried an itemized report showing expenditures of $10,000. Contractor J. F. Berry received $8,750 to build the library, and architect H. B. Lockhead, $250 to draw the plans and $100 to conduct inspections. The city furnished the lot. The Building Committee paid $70 to grade it, $73 for plumbing, $8 to clean the windows, $2 to photograph it, and $200 for a three-year insurance policy. An appropriation of $400 (apparently for books) rounded their expenses to the exact amount of Carnegie's grants--$10,000. The dedication service occurred on Dec. 3, 1907, with a "most eloquent address" from Dr. Clopton. Library Association volunteers kept the building open each afternoon from 2 to 5.

From 1907 to the present, Jefferson's Carnegie Library has functioned as Marion County's only public library. The ground floor always held books, while the upper floor (designed as an opera house or ballroom) served variously as schoolrooms, a dance studio, Red Cross headquarters, a sewing center, a flood relief office, a youth center, government agency offices, and a doll museum.

Carnegie Grants were given on the condition that each city pledge at least 10 percent of the grant amount as an annual appropriation for operations & maintenance, but few cities honored their pledges. By 1914, fourteen Texas cities were in default on their matching fund agreements, and the number continued to grow. Jefferson was more conscientious than most, but in 1961, the city relinquished all its interest in the property to an independent Jefferson Library Association. With very limited funds and volunteer workers, the library's condition gradually deteriorated. Structural issues, patchwork repairs, inadequate utilities, and deferred maintenance took their toll, but there was no choice but to "make do." If the town had been richer, the building would probably have been lost. Modernization efforts in 1961 and 1991 brought some improvements, but it wasn't until 2007 that the Friends of the Jefferson Carnegie Library achieved the magnificent restoration that we recognize with this award.

Restoration & Funding: With the 100th Anniversary of the library's founding just two years away, the library board decided in 2005 that a complete and costly renovation was needed. Air conditioning and heating units installed in 1961 were failing. Daylight could be seen between the walls and floors on three sides of the building. In spots, the sub-flooring had completely worn through, and tiles had pulled loose in many places. Some of the windows were tied with wire to keep them from falling out of the frames. There were no ADA provisions. Book shelves were unstable.

Two committees formed under the chairmanship of attorney George Otstott, one for fundraising and the other to oversee structural renovations. His wife, Dr. Michele Otstott, was also a tireless supporter, along with many people in the community who stepped up to contribute and help. The library moved to a temporary location, and work began. Soon, the building's condition was shown to be worse than anticipated. Floor joists and beams that rested in wall notches had rotted off in several places, causing the floor to sag like a bowl. No wonder the book shelves weren't straight! New joists and beams were installed, along with foundation repairs and new hardwood floors. Restorers kept the old glass from the windows, but put it in new frames. Bathrooms were updated and made ADA compliant. The upstairs ballroom (previously reached only by a staircase) was given a new elevator, as well as a fire escape and outside balcony. The installation of steel cables in the attic strengthened the sagging upstairs ceiling, and the catering kitchen was enlarged. Everything got new coats of paint. The metal roof was repaired and new gutters installed. Landscaping beautified the exterior, and the interior was enriched with appropriate furnishings and modern equipment. The results are tasteful and magnificent.

It's justly a point of pride that all $504,000 of the renovation costs were financed through a local fund-raising effort. No city, county, state, or federal money was used, and no one was reimbursed for "consulting fees." Every penny went straight into the building. The committee raised $378,000 from private citizens and local businesses, with donations ranging from $5 to $10,000. Their success is even more remarkable when one considers that Jefferson's population is just 1,919, and that 33 percent have an income below the poverty line. The committee sent letters to all alumni of the local high school and to all library card holders. It held dinners, ice cream socials, pie & cake auctions, Labor Day golf tournaments, garage sales, book sales, raffles, and labor-intensive one-on-one meetings with potential donors. Every penny was precious!

The committee also wrote 36 grant applications to foundations outside the area. Of these, only two resulted in help. The Tocker Foundation gave two grants for furniture and shelving, and the Meadows Foundation gave money to help finish the restoration, as well as for landscaping. Locally, the Calvin Collins foundation gave three challenge grants totally $51,000. The Schluter Foundation donated money for the elevator and other items. The Mosely Foundation also contributed, and a TIF Grant provided computers & technology services.

The Friends of the Jefferson Carnegie Library are proud of the fact that they reopened on November 17, 2007, and were only closed for 11 days during the restoration. The library incurred no debt on the project and paid back their start-up loan with their savings. A brochure published for the Centennial Rededication lists the names of the many people who volunteered and donated to the project. But membership in the Friends is available to anyone who wishes them well. As do we! The Terry Committe and the East Texas Historical Association are thrilled to give the 2010 Terry Award to the Jefferson Carnegie Library.