Lincoln Public Library
Also known as: Carnegie Library
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Why it's listed
Built in 1909 at 590 Fifth Street, the Lincoln Carnegie Library is a small, nearly cubical building of rosy brick trimmed with reddish terra cotta, set on a high raised basement under a tile hipped roof. Round-arched windows and a central arched entrance, framed by fitted terra cotta blocks with a keystone, give the modest structure a Classical Revival character. Its materials came from the Gladding McBean pottery a few blocks away. Lincoln's request for a $6,000 Carnegie grant was approved in December 1907. When the lowest construction bid exceeded the grant, the pottery donated $2,475 in brick, tile and terra cotta. Residents raised $2,000 to buy the site. Auburn architect A.D. Fellows designed the building, and the cornerstone was laid on April 3, 1909. Apart from handrails added to the steps, it remains unchanged inside and out. Of the Carnegie libraries in Placer County, only Lincoln's still operates as a library, which supports its local importance in architecture and social history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the library is significant in architecture as a well-preserved, unaltered Classical Revival civic building. Its brick, terra cotta and roof tile came from the local Gladding McBean pottery, which donated $2,475 in materials to make construction possible. It also reflects social history: it was funded by a Carnegie grant and is the only Carnegie library in Placer County still serving as a library.
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 90001814, listed December 10, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 590 Fifth St., Lincoln |
|---|---|
| County | Placer County |
| Listed | December 10, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001814 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1909-1921 |
| Architect / builder | Fellows, Allen D. |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as the Lincoln Public Library and described as unaltered except for handrails added to the steep stairs. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.89124, -121.29160 (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 90001814.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q58055491
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.