Library Hall
Also known as: Administration Building; Dundee Township Park District
Why it's listed
Library Hall, at 21 North Washington Street in Carpentersville, Illinois, was a gift from Mary Carpenter Lord in memory of her husband, Julius Angelo Carpenter, who founded the town. Dedicated on January 2, 1897, the Romanesque building was designed by Turnbull and Jones of Elgin and built of St. Louis pressed brick with buff Bedford stone trim. It housed library reading rooms, a ladies parlor, and a church meeting room and community center in the basement. Inside, maple floors, Georgia pine wainscot, beveled leaded glass and a tiled fireplace survive. Carpenter opened the town's first store, built its first bridge over the Fox River, and served in the state House of Representatives. Library use declined and the library closed in 1969, after which the Congregational Church owner offered the building for sale. The Dundee Township Park District bought it to keep it public, and it now serves as the district's administration building.
Significance in brief: The building was given to the people of Carpentersville by Mary Carpenter Lord as a memorial to her husband Julius Angelo Carpenter, the town's founder. It is described as the most significant thing in Dundee Township left in his memory, built with the finest materials and to a design she chose from her foreign travels. The nomination also cites local significance as a library and community center, and some statewide significance because Carpenter served in the Illinois House of Representatives.
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 73000709, listed August 14, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 21 N. Washington St., Carpentersville |
|---|---|
| County | Kane County |
| Listed | August 14, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000709 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (dedicated January 2, 1897) |
| Architect / builder | Turnbull and Jones of Elgin, Ill. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| Areas of significance | Conservation, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in public use as the park district administration building; condition fair, with the exterior largely unchanged apart from a replaced roof and a need for some tuck pointing. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Within district | Dundee Township Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.11022, -88.28791 (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 73000709.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6542500
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.