Arcola Carnegie Public Library
Why it's listed
Arcola's Carnegie library sits at 407 East Main Street, a one-story rusticated limestone building with a raised basement, hipped roof and central dome. Its gabled temple-front entrance has paired limestone pilasters, dentil molding and the lettering "Arcola Public Library." Inside, a rotunda with archways leads to the stacks and two wings, each with a fireplace, and the oak woodwork and windows are original. Mayor Thomas F. Monahan formed the library board and wrote to Andrew Carnegie in 1903, and a $10,000 grant followed. Architect Paul A. Moratz designed the building, J.P. Morehead of Tuscola built it, and it was dedicated on October 17, 1905. The library became a township library in 1946 and still serves residents, schools and community groups. It was listed for its educational role and as a well-preserved local example of Classical Revival design, with a period of significance of 1905 to 1951.
Significance in brief: The library is locally significant for education because it has provided library services to Arcola residents. It is also significant for architecture as a nearly unaltered local example of the Classical Revival style. It meets the Carnegie Library property type defined in the Illinois Carnegie Libraries multiple property documentation.
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 02000459, listed May 9, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 407 E. Main St., Arcola |
|---|---|
| County | Douglas County |
| Listed | May 9, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000459 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1905-1951 |
| Architect / builder | Moratz, Paul A., architect; Morehead, J.P., builder |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a library; the form says it has had little more than general maintenance, though the dome was enclosed in 1959 after water leaks. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.68616, -88.30315 (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 02000459.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4787443
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.