Warren Public Library
Also known as: Carnegie-Sutliff Public Library
Why it's listed
Built between 1904 and 1906, this Warren library is a one-story red brick and stone building with a hip roof and a triangular pedimented entrance. Tall Ionic columns flank the recessed double door, which is topped by an arched fanlight, and shell-shaped finials mark the pediment. Inside, a tiled vestibule leads to the main reading room, with small children's reading rooms to each side. Architect Edward J. Tolton of New York designed it on land donated by Judge Molton Sutliff, who also gave $10,000 toward the $28,393 cost; Andrew Carnegie paid the rest. It was dedicated on February 5, 1906. A plain rear addition of 1927, funded by J.W. Packard at $55,000, added an adult reading room and Sutliff Hall, a public meeting room. The library board abandoned the building in 1971, and Trumbull County bought it for $80,000, hoping to fund restoration. It was listed as a classic example of early twentieth century public building design.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the building as a classic example of early 20th century design for public buildings. It was funded by Judge Molton Sutliff, who donated the land and $10,000, and by Andrew Carnegie, who paid the balance of the cost. The 1927 addition was funded by J.W. Packard.
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 73001543, listed March 20, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 120 High St., NW., Warren |
|---|---|
| County | Trumbull County |
| Listed | March 20, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001543 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 20th Century (specific date 1906) |
| Architect / builder | Edward J. Tolton of New York (architect) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Library Board abandoned the building in 1971 and sold it to the Trumbull County Board of Commissioners for $80,000; the county hoped to secure funds for renovation and restoration. Condition listed as good; classified as unoccupied and vacant. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Warren Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.23759, -80.81819 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 73001543.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138752305
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.