Livermore Carnegie Library and Park
Also known as: Carnegie Library; Carnegie Building; Carnegie Park
Why it's listed
Occupying a full city block in downtown Livermore, Carnegie Park surrounds a small Classical Revival library completed in 1911. Architect William H. Weeks designed the square, single-story building with a basement, and the Hoyt Brothers built it of brick sheathed in terra cotta and plaster. A pedimented portico with paired Ionic columns marks the entrance, and a Colusa sandstone fountain, also designed by Weeks, sits at the foot of the front steps. The library replaced a modest First Street building after residents, led by library board president Dell C. Savage, won a Carnegie grant and voted park bonds in 1909. Community groups helped pay for landscaping and construction. The building served as the town library until 1966, then passed to the park district. Since 1974 it has housed the Livermore Heritage Guild and the Livermore Art Association. The property is recognized as one of the surviving Carnegie libraries of its type in California and as an example of City Beautiful ideals.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion A as one of the Carnegie-funded public libraries and a product of the City Beautiful Movement in Livermore, which gave the town its first public park and civic center. Under Criterion C it is one of twenty-one surviving Classical Revival Type B California Carnegie libraries. It served as the city library until 1966.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 11000876, listed December 3, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2155 3rd St., Livermore |
|---|---|
| County | Alameda County |
| Listed | December 3, 2011 |
| Reference number | 11000876 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1911-1966 |
| Architect / builder | William H. Weeks, Architect; Hoyt Brothers, Contractors |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival (Type B) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Operated by the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District; used as an art gallery and history museum, and the park hosts a seasonal farmers market and community events. |
| Acreage | 1.4 |
| Coordinates | 37.67956, -121.76850 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 11000876.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18715125
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.