One 19th-century man brought about important changes in the landscape and the intellectual life of America. We can still see his work right here where we live.

ANDREW CARNEGIE was a Scottish immigrant who started out poor and worked his way up – WAY up. When J. P. Morgan asked what Andrew would take for Carnegie Steel, Andrew quoted him a billion dollars. Morgan paid up without dickering, and U. S. Steel was born.

Not really ready to retire yet, Carnegie said “the man who dies rich dies thus disgraced.” After a career that included piling up cash and crushing the workers, he now set out to give away as much money as he could manage, and do all the good he could in the world. He opposed U. S. imperialism, even offering to personally buy the Philippines and set them free. He set up the Carnegie Foundation, which still is a major founder of worthy causes.

And he donated libraries to thousands of communities, mostly in the U. S. but flung as far as Mauritius and Fiji.

Three of them are still in use as libraries here in our area. Hornell Public Library (1911) was the first purpose-built library in Steuben County, and remained so for over 60 years. It’s a lovely beaux-arts building at 64 Genesee Street, still presenting its original front to the world… additions are discreetly hidden in the back.

There have been internal renovations during the COVID-enforced closure, and I haven’t seen the new arrangements yet. But at least until recently it was still possible to discern the original arrangement, designed for the days when staffs were very small. The work space and circulation desk sat in the center, so the clerk could keep an eye on the whole 360 degrees of the library. Mr. Carnegie paid $25,000 for design and construction. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Penn Yan Public Library (214 Main Street, 1905) started out as an even older, though much smaller, Carnegie library. The old front is the original portion – it’s been added to considerably over the past 120 years, and the entrance is now on the far side, facing the parking lot. Much of the original space is now the children’s section, and if you search the library walls you may find the architect’s original painted rendition of what Penn Yan’s exciting new library was going to look like.

Andover Free Library (40 Main Street) opened in 1913 thanks to a $5000 Carnegie grant, and also thanks to the local builder who twice sent designs back to the Elmira architect, until they had plans for a TEN-thousand dollar facility, which the builder erected for Mr. Carnegie’s five. He even had $250 left over, which provided for a furnace. And the library’s still in use today.

Elmira had a large exciting $70,000 library, somehow successfully combining federal-style and Greek-revival forms, from 1921 to 1973. In 1973, of course, it was devastated by the “Hurricane Agnes” flood. The new Steele Memorial Library opened in 1979, but the original library survives and thrives as the Chemung County Chamber of Commerce (400 East Church Street).

Mr. Carnegie also donated a library to Alfred University. It’s been superseded by a larger, more modern facility, and is now a university office building (Carnegie Hall – honest). It’s a contributing structure for the Alfred Village Historic District, placed on the National Register in 1992.

Binghamton Public Library (78 Exchange Street) opened in 1904, thanks to a $75,000 Carnegie grant. From the design stage it was planned and executed as a combination library and community center. Broome County took over in 1985, and a modern new facility (more than three times the size of the original) opened in 2000. It’s now home to the Culinary School for SUNY Broome Community College.

There are also Carnegie libraries nearby in Olean (now a restaurant), Salamanca (law office), and Warsaw (still a library!). Go for a drive. Check out some libraries – all different, since Mr. Carnegie did not issue plans! OR require that his name go on the building!