Hornell Public Library
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Hornell Public Library, at 64 Genesee Street, is a white pressed brick building with masonry trim, dedicated in 1911. Its five-bay front has a central arched entrance, flanking arched windows, bracketed double hipped roof and four large medallions. Inside, reading and reference rooms flank the entrance, and three skylights, arched windows, dark oak trim, colonnades and two fireplaces give it a rich, airy character. The Hornell Library Association, founded in 1868, had moved between an opera house, a residence and an office before seeking Andrew Carnegie's help in 1903. Carnegie awarded $25,000 in 1903 on the condition that the village supply a lot, annual maintenance funds and a full-time librarian. After years of debate the Genesee Street site was bought in 1908. New York City architect Edward L. Tilton, who developed the open plan with open shelves on the first floor, designed it, and the local firm Fahy & Prentiss did the construction. The library remains in use and has added services such as records, tapes and art prints.
Significance in brief: The building is a local example of the Carnegie Library Style, built under Andrew Carnegie's program to finance community libraries. It uses Tilton's open plan of open book shelves, and it has served as the educational, social and cultural center of Hornell and the Canisteo Valley since 1911.
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 75001230, listed February 24, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 64 Genesee St., Hornell |
|---|---|
| County | Steuben County |
| Listed | February 24, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001230 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Edward L. Tilton (architect); Fahy & Prentiss (contractors) |
| Architectural style | Carnegie Library Style; Second Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, owned by the City of Hornell and still in use as a library. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.32823, -77.65737 (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 75001230.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5904287
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.