Yreka Carnegie Library
Also known as: Yreka Police Department
Why it's listed
Built as Yreka's public library and opened on October 20, 1915, this small concrete building at 412 W. Miner Street is a Classical Revival design by W.H. Weeks. It rises one story over a basement airspace, with a low parapet framing the word "Library" and an entrance set under a half-round arch with a keystone. Yreka's interest in libraries reaches back to the 1850s, and a city library was established in 1910 through the Yreka Improvement Club. Carnegie funding of $8,000 was promised in 1913, and the lot was bought for $1,000. After the first bids came in too high, the plans were modified. Peterson & Wilson of San Francisco won the contract but ran into financial trouble, so C.L. Noel finished the work. It is the most northerly Carnegie library in California. The library served until 1970, when the police department moved in and later added a rear addition. It was listed for its social history and architecture, with a significance period of 1915 to 1942.
Significance in brief: It is the northernmost Carnegie library in California and was Yreka's only library until 1970, reflecting the town's long interest in public libraries. It is also a well-preserved example of Classical Revival styling. The period of significance ends in 1942 because of the absence of exceptional significance after that date.
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 92000270, listed March 26, 1992. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 412 W. Miner St., Yreka |
|---|---|
| County | Siskiyou County |
| Listed | March 26, 1992 |
| Reference number | 92000270 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1915-1942 |
| Architect / builder | Weeks, William, architect; Peterson & Wilson, builder; Noel, C.L., builder |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used by the city police department (government/correctional facility use); a rear addition was built around 1979-1980 and the building's integrity appears maintained. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.73248, -122.63921 (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 92000270.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16904208
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.