Carnegie Library
Also known as: Carnegie Museum
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Why it's listed
Built in 1912 at the corner of Lincoln and Pleasant Streets, this one-story brick library with a raised basement was Roseville's first public library. Architect William Henry Weeks designed it in the Classical Revival style, with a full-height porch, Corinthian columns, and a terra cotta tile roof. Contractors Wilson & Peterson used local brick, Rocklin granite, lumber, and tiles from Lincoln. A $10,000 Carnegie grant, matched by $2,000 from the city, paid for it, and a local businessman donated the lot. After the Southern Pacific Railroad made Roseville a rail center, the town had a reputation for saloons and gambling, and civic leaders organized the library as an alternative. It served as the only library until 1955 and the main branch until 1979, and closed as a library in 1982. Volunteers and the Roseville Historical Society raised funds for a restoration, and the building reopened in 1988 as the Carnegie Museum, with a preschool in the basement.
Significance in brief: The building is significant for its role in Roseville's educational and cultural development, listed under Criterion A. It was the town's first library, built as a social alternative in a rough railroad town, and served as the only library until 1955 and the main branch until 1979. It was restored and reopened as the Carnegie Museum in 1988.
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 09000199, listed April 10, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 557 Lincoln St., Roseville |
|---|---|
| County | Placer County |
| Listed | April 10, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000199 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912-1979 |
| Architect / builder | Weeks, William Henry (architect); Wilson & Peterson (contractors) |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Education, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored 1986-1988 and reopened as the Carnegie Museum; the basement is used as a preschool and a genealogy research and meeting room. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.75556, -121.28656 (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 09000199.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q125467268
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.