Dixon Carnegie Library
Also known as: Dixon Union High School Library; Dixon Public Library
Why it's listed
Built in 1912 at 135 East B Street in downtown Dixon, this roughly 2,000-square-foot brick library sits one story above a raised basement. San Francisco architects Parker and Kenyon designed it in a Spanish Colonial Revival style with simplified Classical detail and California Mission touches, and Brady and Fischer built it. Its size and shape followed the standard formula for libraries funded by Carnegie grants. Features include a block modillion cornice, a recessed entrance reached by eight concrete steps, quatrefoil windows, and Ionic-columned triple windows. Rear additions from 1958 and 1989-1990 are hidden from the street, and the exterior was restyled in stucco in 1990. The building matters because it was the first structure in the Dixon area devoted to free public library use and the first Carnegie-funded library in Solano County. The Dixon Women's Improvement Club helped drive the effort. It has served continuously as the city's library and a community gathering place.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues significance under Criterion A for the library's role in the education and social history of Dixon. It was the first building in the area dedicated to free public library use and the first library in Solano County built with Carnegie grant money. The Women's Improvement Club's campaign to obtain it is central to its story.
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 10001199, listed February 4, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 135 E. B St., Dixon |
|---|---|
| County | Solano County |
| Listed | February 4, 2011 |
| Reference number | 10001199 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1912- |
| Architect / builder | Parker and Kenyon, Architects; Brady and Fischer, Builders |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals; Mission/Spanish Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a public library; additions were made in 1958 and 1989-1990 at the rear, and the basement is no longer open to the public. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.44687, -121.82180 (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 10001199.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q133546254
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.