{"nrhp_refnum":"78002019","name":"Warder Public Library","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"E. High and Spring Sts.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Springfield","county":"Clark County","state":"OH","lat":39.922747008000044,"lon":-83.80718462399994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-02-17","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 1-1/2 story, L-shaped sandstone library building at the southwest corner of East High and Spring Streets in Springfield, Clark County, Ohio, built in 1890 and designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge.","why_significant":"The nomination presents it as an outstanding example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture by the successors to Henry Hobson Richardson's practice. Its combination of light tan and russet sandstone is called especially effective, and it is described as one of Springfield's architectural landmarks. It also reflects the city's library history, since Benjamin H. Warder gave the site and building in memory of his parents.","narrative":"Warder Public Library, at East High and Spring Streets in Springfield, Ohio, is an L-shaped, 1-1/2 story building completed in 1890. Boston architects Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge designed it in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. Light tan and russet sandstone, laid as rock-faced random ashlar, forms the walls, and an octagonal three-stage tower about 70 feet tall rises where the two wings meet. A shed-roofed arcade with paired columns and carved capitals marks the north side, and the roofs are red ceramic tile. Benjamin H. Warder gave both site and building to the city, and it was dedicated on June 12, 1890, in memory of his parents, Jeremiah and Ann A. Warder. Warder had earlier hired H. H. Richardson to design his Washington, D.C. house and, satisfied, chose Richardson's successors for the library. It replaced earlier library quarters dating back to a Lyceum formed in 1832. The interior was altered in 1970 for extra stack space, and the building remains in excellent condition.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899","architect_builder":"Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge","architectural_style":"Richardsonian Romanesque","criteria":[],"status_note":"Described as in excellent condition; the interior was modified in 1970 to add stack space. Owned by the City of Springfield and marked occupied.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:10.287458-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/78002019.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002019/1e8bde5c21-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002019/1e8bde5c21-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Nyttend","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Warder_Public_Library.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Nyttend</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Warder_Public_Library.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71987080","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warder_Public_Library","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7969155"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/clark-county/warder-public-library-78002019/"}