New Acquisition Alert – Auburn Carnegie Library
Historic Seattle is proud to announce the acquisition of a new property to be temporarily added to our portfolio. On Friday, April 25, we closed on the purchase of a historic Carnegie Library located in downtown Auburn. This acquisition was made possible by the Preservation Action Fund. This fund is a self-sustaining initiative funded by 4Culture to save and rehabilitate historic structures located in King County but outside of the City of Seattle. Preservation professionals from King County’s Historic Preservation Program, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, Historic Seattle, and 4Culture serve on the Fund’s advisory board. The fund is managed by 4Culture. Historic Seattle serves as the developer.
Our goal for this project is to stabilize and partially restore the building while we simultaneously work with a local, non-profit arts organization and help them develop a comprehensive scope of work and self-sustaining operating model. Once the non-profit has raised the necessary funds, it will purchase the property from Historic Seattle. Sales proceeds will then revolve to facilitate the purchase and rehabilitation of the next project.
In the early 20th century, the Auburn Chapter of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) pressed civic leaders for the creation of a library system for Auburn. The goal for the WCTU was to counteract the proliferation of saloons and cut down on the vice presumed to radiate from drinking establishments in boomtowns everywhere, including in Auburn. In 1903, the Auburn Chapter established the town’s first lending library in the back room of a local drug store. By 1905 citizens of Auburn approved a levy for the construction of a new public library. Soon after the passage of the levy, the library moved from the drug store, a library board was formed, and the collection was moved to City Hall.
At this time industrial magnate, Andrew Carnegie dedicated a portion of his vast personal fortune to constructing libraries across the country. Eligibility for these funds was limited to city governments that had clear title to the land on which the library would be built and who pledged to steward this public resource. Inspired by the funding opportunity, the Arthur Ballard family donated the land at 306 Auburn Avenue to the city. In 1911, the Auburn Library Board received $9,000 from the Carnegie Foundation to construct its new library. Designed by Seattle architect, David Myers, the building opened in February 1914. For the next 50 years, it was actively used and served as one of Auburn’s core cultural institutions. In 1964, the library moved from its Auburn Avenue location to a new facility built by the city. The historic building reverted to the estate of the Ballard family, who subsequently sold the property to the owners of the Auburn Dance Center. The building continued for several decades to serve as a cultural hub for the community as a notable dance and music studio. It was designated a King County Landmark in April 1995.
Historic Seattle’s partnership with a local, non-profit arts organization will ensure the continuation of the historic, cultural use of the building for generations to come. This project promises to be yet another tangible example of the transformative power of historic preservation and of the public good that radiates from Historic Seattle’s mission……saving meaningful places to foster lively communities.
Image courtesy of White River Valley Museum