Montana Historical and Architectural Inventory (Site #191 )

Address:	701 W. Main Street
Ownership Name:	City of Lewistown
Historic Name:	Carnegie Library
Common Name:	City Library
Date of Construction:	1905
Architect:	T. J. Tubb
Builder:	Tubb Brothers
Original Owner:	City of Lewistown
Original Use:	Library
Present Use:	Library

Physical Description:

This building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

A small formal Carnegie library with a daylight basement and an upper floor of tall story height; the overall mass, therefore, is as high as many two story structures. The building could be characterized as a formal and symmetrical cut stone structure with many classical and revival architectural appointments. The basic volume is a rectangular hipped roof mass with a symmetrically placed large projecting portico on the side of the building that faces Main Street. The portico is a gable-roofed element with a classical pediment and tympanum above the portico. A sheet metal entablature caps all sides of the structure; the cornice at the portico is elevated slightly above the adjoining roofline, creating a two-tiered cornice at the sides of the portico. The cornice at both is linear and is supported by modillions. A wide frieze occurs below the cornice that is decorated with a repetitive pattern of festoons. The architrave below is narrow and plain. The tympanum at the pediment features a low-relief pattern. The frieze below the tympanum has the words "Carnegie Library 1905" inscribed in the face. The projecting portion of the portico is supported by pairs of, or coupled, dwarf order Corinthian columns at each side of the entrance. The main entrance below the portico features double wood doors with sidelights under a large round arch. The walls and the railing flanking the front entry steps is of cut sandstone. The random size suggests that cut stone drawings may have been prepared for the work. A string course of projecting sandstone is visible at the first floor line. Windows are typically wood double hung 1/1 with a transom above. Two masonry chimneys can be seen extending up from the back of the structure. An addition was constructed adjacent to the northeast wall of the basement in 1960. Since it is attached at the lower level of the building and is downhill from the anchor mass of the library, it does not significantly impact the visual effect of the historic structure.

Classification: Beaux Art Revival with strong Classical influences.

Historical Significance:

The Lewistown City Library is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a significant example of the stone building tradition that characterized architecture in Lewistown in the opening years of the 20^th Century.

The nearby quantity of good building stone attracted many stonemasons to the growing town, including a sizeable community of Croatian craftsmen.

The Tubb Bros. (T.J., George, and A.J.) were awarded the contract for construction of the library. T. J. was also responsible for the design and specifications.

With the conditions that a suitable site be furnished and at least $1000 per year be raised for maintenance, Andrew Carnegie "opened his purse strings, and announced that he was ready to present this growing city with $10,000" for a needed library.

George M. Stafford offered two choice lots, in Stafford’s First Addition (adjacent to the Courthouse Square) for $600 (market value was approximately $2000). The amount was readily raised by George W. Cook through subscriptions by local public spirited citizens.

The Busch Memorial Library, built of local brick, was added in 1959. Chandler C. Cohagen of Billings was the architect for the addition.

Integrity:

Original construction on the original site. An excellent example of local sandstone materials being utilized in a formally planned and executed architectural statement. The site on the upper end of Main Street and across from the Courthouse is appropriate.