Cambria Public Library Building
Also known as: Carnegie Public Library
Why it's listed
Built in 1890-1 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the Cambria Public Library is a three-story brick building in the French Gothic style. It rises two stories before a tile roof with four dormers on each side and clustered chimneys. Its recessed double entrance sits behind a flat-topped opening, and high, narrow sash windows have cut stone lintels. A datestone above the first floor records the benefactor and year of erection. The library was created after the Johnstown Flood of 1889 destroyed the original building, and Andrew Carnegie and the Cambria Iron Company financed its construction and maintenance until 1930. It is regarded as a representative example of Victorian ornamental massing and retains much of its original interior woodwork and railings. For many years it housed a lecture forum, a gymnasium for an athletic association, a state library district center, a government documents repository, and an auditorium seating 300. It was partly damaged again in the 1936 flood and ceased operating as a library in late 1971.
Significance in brief: The library arose directly from the Johnstown Flood of 1889, which destroyed the original library, and was funded by Andrew Carnegie together with the Cambria Iron Company. It is cited as an example of Victorian architecture with massive styling and ornamental features, and it retains much original interior woodwork and railings. It also served as a long-running cultural center for the town.
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 72001100, listed June 19, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 304 Washington St., Johnstown |
|---|---|
| County | Cambria County |
| Listed | June 19, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72001100 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1890-1 |
| Architectural style | French Gothic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The library ceased to function as a library in late 1971; the document does not describe later use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Downtown Johnstown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.32792, -78.92054 (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 72001100.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5025267
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.