Robles, Paso, Carnegie Library
Why it's listed
Set in the middle of City Park in Paso Robles, this single-story Carnegie library was dedicated on June 19, 1908. Architect William H. Weeks designed it and R.O. Summers built it, using locally fired brick with stone quoins, lintels and sills. A pedimented portico with paired columns marks the Classical Revival entrance, and the interior retains tiled floors, varnished wood paneling and a brick fireplace. The library grew from a free reading room started in 1901 by the Paso Robles Improvement Club and later taken up by its ladies' auxiliary and the city. Carnegie funds of $10,000 were offered in 1906. It served as the city's first permanent library and a social and cultural center until a new library opened in 1995. The city then passed stewardship to the El Paso de Robles Area Historical Society, which intends to preserve the building as a historical library and repository of local historic items.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion A in Social History as a local example of community effort to meet social and cultural needs using Carnegie funding. It was the city's first permanent library building and a center of social and cultural activity in a young community. It meets the registration requirements of the California Carnegie Libraries multiple property listing.
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 97001635, listed January 26, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | City Park, 800 12th St., Paso Robles |
|---|---|
| County | San Luis Obispo County |
| Listed | January 26, 1998 |
| Reference number | 97001635 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1908-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Weeks, W.H. Architect; Summers, R.O., Builder |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A new Paso Robles library was dedicated in 1995; the city turned stewardship of the Carnegie building over to the El Paso de Robles Area Historical Society, which planned to preserve it as a historical library and repository of local historic items. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.62595, -120.68981 (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 97001635.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q12065378
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.