Summary
Janesville Public Library
64 South Main Street, Janesville, Rock County
Architect: John T.W. Jennings
Date of Construction: 1902
The Janesville Public Library was one of Wisconsin¿s first Carnegie funded libraries. F.S. Eldred, a prominent local merchant and manufacturer, also supported the library with a bequest in memory of his daughter. The distinguished NeoClassical building was designed by New York native John T.W. Jennings.
The two-story structure evokes a sense of dignity and grandeur appropriate to a public building of this size. The formal approach gives way to a monumental front entrance portico. The portico consists of a decorative pediment and frieze that rest on Ionic columns. A fanlight window framed with stone Ionic pilasters and a keystone is centered in the portico and flanked by large windows with starburst muntins. The starburst motif is repeated in the wood railings that join the pedestals of the colonnade. Other unique details include a carved datestone in the pediment, the building name carved in the frieze, and two stone panels that read ¿Free to the People¿ and ¿Eldred Memorial.¿
The main level is a typical library layout with a central desk and reading rooms to either side. An open staircase rises to the next level where the assembly hall and museum space are located. An auditorium was completed in 1932 as a home to the Janesville Little Theatre, the oldest, self-supporting, continuously operating community theater in Wisconsin. Many other social and cultural organizations made use of the auditorium as well, including the Apollo Club.
The building has served as a senior citizens center since 1968. It also houses offices of the Janesville Department of Recreation and the Janesville Little Theatre. It is open during regular hours.
Property Details
Resources Within The Property
Designations
State & National Registers of Historic Places
The State Register and National Register recognize buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that are significant in national, state, or local history. The State Historic Preservation Office in conjunction with the National Park Service maintains the list for Wisconsin and makes the data available to the public for research and education.
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Janesville Public Library
1903
Interior view of the Janesville Public Library. The library opened in 1903 and was funded by Andrew Carnegie at $30,000 and Eldred at $10,000. The reverse of the cardboard backing reads: "Arbor Day...
