{"nrhp_refnum":"86003684","name":"Carnegie Library of Barnesville","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Library St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Barnesville","county":"Lamar County","state":"GA","lat":33.05283585300003,"lon":-84.15813124899995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1987-02-03","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education","Architecture","Social History"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A two-story red brick public library building on Library Street in Barnesville, Lamar County, Georgia, built in 1910 in a modified Georgian style and designed by the New York firm Whitfield and King.","why_significant":"The nomination argues it is a fine example of the Carnegie-supported libraries built in American towns and the work of a nationally known architectural firm. It is also significant in education and social/humanitarian history as Barnesville's first free public library and a community meeting place. It is one of only twenty-four Carnegie libraries built in Georgia.","narrative":"Built in 1910, the Carnegie Library of Barnesville is a two-story red brick building in a modified Georgian style, with wooden porticos on white columns, marble trim and bands, and Palladian windows. It came about after local citizen Rosa Middlebrooks wrote to Andrew Carnegie in 1908, and he offered $10,000 if the city committed to maintaining the library. The New York firm Whitfield and King designed it, and Barnesville Coal and Lumber Company built it for a bid of $6,709. It was the town's first free public library and is one of only twenty-four Carnegie libraries in Georgia. Beyond lending books, it hosted civic groups, wartime book drives, Red Cross classes and art exhibits. It joined the Flint River Regional Library System in 1971. Changes include lowered ceilings, modern lighting and new floor coverings, but the original oak columns, paneled doors and narrow stairs remain. It is listed for its architecture and its role in local education and community life.","period_of_significance":"1900- (specific date 1910)","architect_builder":"Whitfield and King (architects, New York City); Barnesville Coal and Lumber Company (contractor)","architectural_style":"Modified Georgian","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Occupied and in use as a public library; condition listed as excellent, with some alterations including lowered ceilings, new floor coverings and replaced exterior columns in 1984.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:55:43.603597-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_GA/86003684.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86003684/7b25868b4c-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/86003684/7b25868b4c-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Timkemp","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carnegie_Library_of_Barnesville.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Timkemp</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Carnegie_Library_of_Barnesville.JPG"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"95000908","name":"Thomaston Street Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/georgia/thomaston-street-historic-district-95000908/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/93208761","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnegie_Library_of_Barnesville","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5043942"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/georgia/lamar-county/carnegie-library-of-barnesville-86003684/"}