Hoopeston Carnegie Public Library
Why it's listed
Hoopeston's Carnegie library is a one-story Classical Revival building at 110 North Fourth Street, completed in 1904. Andrew Carnegie pledged $12,500 after the town's library, begun by a women's club in 1895 and first housed in the town hall, petitioned him in 1903. Alba Honeywell donated the land, James F. Alexander served as architect, and James M. Strate was the contractor. The west-facing front has a gabled portico with four Tuscan columns, oval windows, dentil molding and a slate roof. Inside, the original oak woodwork survives. A 1975 addition added meeting space and book room, and a further addition was being built on the south side when the nomination was prepared. The collection grew from 1,000 books to about 30,000 volumes. The library was listed for its role in education, serving residents, local schools and community organizations, with a period of significance from 1904 to 1951.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the library is locally significant under Criterion A for education because it has provided library services to Hoopeston residents since 1904. It meets the Carnegie Library property type defined in the Illinois Carnegie Libraries Multiple Property Documentation. It has also served schools and community groups, and it is a designated local landmark.
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 02000458, listed May 9, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 110 N. Fourth St., Hoopeston |
|---|---|
| County | Vermilion County |
| Listed | May 9, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000458 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1904-1951 |
| Architect / builder | Alexander, James F., architect; Strate, James M., contractor |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a library; a 1970s addition exists on the north side and a new addition was under construction on the south side at the time of the form. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.47050, -87.66490 (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 02000458.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16892445
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.