Photograph Album and History of
Original Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny, Pennsylvania
(From 1956 to 2006 known as the Allegheny Regional Branch,
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh)

News:
Regarding the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny /
Former Allegheny Regional Branch, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Visit Original Buhl Planetarium & Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny Buildings FREE throughout 2023 August ! 2023 July 11.
If you would like to visit the original Buhl Planetarium and Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny, buildings, FOR FREE --- The Allegheny Regional Asset District (a.k.a. RAD) has just
announced that all visits to the Children's Museum (including MuseumLab, in the original Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny, America's first publicly-funded Carnegie Library), Heinz History Center, and Andy Warhol Museum will be FREE-OF-CHARGE throughout the entire month of August !!!
This is in celebration for all three museums winning honors in USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.

* Children's Museum: 2nd best in Children's Museums

* Heinz History Center: 2nd best in History Museums

* Andy Warhol Museum: 4th best in Art Museums

Pittsburgh was the only city to see three different museums honored in the top five!
Although vists are free, reservations are recommended, but not required.
More Info

Walsh, Glenn A. "Carnegie Library Bldg. May Be Reused by Children's Museum." Blog Post.
SpaceWatchtower 2013 Sept. 3.
The Children's Museum of Pittsburgh, which started in 1983 in the basement of the Old Allegheny Post Office, later occupied the entire post office building, and expanded into the original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science in 2004, is now considering the possibility of offering programming in the building that formerly held the Allegheny Regional Branch of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (the first publicly-funded Carnegie Library in America), in historic Allegheny Square on the Lower North Side of Pittsburgh.

* 2007 Dec. 2 - NEW WEB SITE:
Website for and by patrons of the
Allegheny Regional Branch
of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
To restore library service in America's first
publicly funded Carnegie Library !!!

Historic Carnegie Library Clock Tower
Struck by Lightning 2006 April 7 !

Buhl Community Park at Allegheny Square & Allegheny Square Plaza: Photographs.

Historical Significance of the
Allegheny Regional Branch of
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
(Originally the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny)

History Timeline of the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny /
Allegheny Regional Branch, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

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Passing of Long-time Reference Librarian Stephen D. Pietzak

Obituary: Stephen D. Pietzak (1952 July 23 to 2023 April 19)
Long-time (1980s & 1990s) Carnegie Library, Allegheny Regional Branch, Reference Librarian
Also: Legacy.com Death Notice

(The following condolence message was originally posted on Legacy.com)

Glenn A. Walsh
Friend
April 30, 2023

The following are photographs of the first tax-supported Carnegie Library in the Americas (second in the world--first in the world was Victoria Library in Grangemouth, Scotland), dedicated by U.S. President Benjamin Harrison on 1890 February 20. Originally known as the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny, it is now the Allegheny Regional Branch of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh located at 5 Allegheny Square in the Allegheny Center section of Pittsburgh's Lower North Side. This section of the North Side is where Andrew Carnegie spent much of his youth, and it is where he met his mentor, Col. James Anderson, who built the city's first public library. In 1904, Andrew Carnegie had a memorial to Col. Anderson constructed (by architect Henry Bacon and sculptor Daniel Chester French, who had collaborated on the Lincoln Memorial on the Washington Mall) adjacent to the Library building, at the corner of Federal Street and East Ohio Street (today, this memorial sits near Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science building, directly across the way from the Allegheny Regional Branch Library entrance). The Library building (including the adjoining Carnegie Hall) was designed and built by Smithmeyer and Pelz, the architects of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

With construction of the Library, Andrew Carnegie also constructed the world's first Carnegie Hall (built one year before the public opening of Carnegie Hall in New York City), adjoining the Library building just east of the Library section of the building (located at 6 Allegheny Square). Carnegie Hall was completely renovated in the 1970s and the interior performance space was dedicated as the Theodore Hazlett Theatre on 1980 December 15. From 1974-1999 it was the home of the Pittsburgh Public Theater; after twenty-four years, on 1999 December 11, the Pittsburgh Public Theater began a new era of performances (with the world premiere of August Wilson's "King Hedley II") in the O'Reilly Theater (named for the former Chief Executive Officer of the Heinz Corporation), on Penn Avenue, across from Heinz Hall, in the Downtown Cultural District. After a year-long, $2 million rehabilitation, the performance space inside Carnegie Hall was re-dedicated, during the weekend of 2006 September 15, 16, and 17, as the New Hazlett Theater, to be used by several small and mid-size community, performing arts groups.

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Link from Carnegie Library Official Web Site:

Construction Blueprints for Renovations to the
Allegheny Regional Branch, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
1972 March 17:

The following are photographs of the stone facade of the Allegheny Regional Branch of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. Photograph 1 shows the Library entrance to the Allegheny Regional Branch. Photograph 2 shows the name "Carnegie Free Library" engraved in the stone. Photographs 3 and 4 show "Carnegie Hall," the Music Hall entrance to the building, which now includes the New Hazlett Theater; a Lecture Hall is located on the Library's third floor. Photographs 5, 6, and 7 show the Library's Clocktower; in the foreground of photograph 7 is Sidney Waugh's sculpture, "The Earth," on the front of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science [located across the pedestrian mall (formerly Federal Street) from the Library]. These images were photographed in October of 1998.

Photo 1 (1)***Photo 2 (1)***Photo 3 (1)***Photo 4 (1)

Photo 5 (1)***Photo 6 (1) ***Photo 7 (1)

Photographs of the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny from 1937

Library Plaques (2023 May) ---

Entrance Historic Plaques: Image 1 (5) *** Image 2 (5)

Carnegie Hall / New Hazlett Theater Plaques: Image 1 (5) *** Image 2 (5) (Historic Plaque with New Hazlett Theater sign in background)

Colonel James Anderson Memorial and Book Collection

As a young boy, in 1848, Andrew Carnegie immigrated with his family from Dunfermline, Scotland to Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, located just across the Allegheny River from Downtown Pittsburgh. At this time, Pittsburgh and Allegheny City had no public libraries; Andrew and his family were too poor to purchase books. One day, Andrew read, in the local newspaper, that an Allegheny City businessman and iron manufacturer, Colonel James Anderson, was starting to open his 400-volume private library to the public each Saturday afternoon; Colonel Anderson served as the librarian. Andrew was overjoyed and read most books in this library. Colonel Anderson was so gratified by the public response to the opening of his private library to the public, he donated money to begin a public library in Allegheny City. Andrew Carnegie never forgot Colonel Anderson's generosity; when Andrew became wealthy, he decided that he would also donate money to open public libraries.

Photographs 1 through 9 show views of the Memorial to honor Colonel James Anderson, officially titled "Labor," which Andrew Carnegie had constructed close to the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny(now the Allegheny Regional Branch of The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh), at the corner of Federal and East Ohio Streets in 1904. This Memorial was dismantled in the 1960s, to allow for the conversion of Federal Street and East Ohio Street to pedestrian malls as part of the Allegheny Center urban renew al project. A community effort led to the reconstruction of this Memorial across the Federal Street pedestrian mall from the Allegheny Regional Branch, next to The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science; the memorial was rededicated 1988 May 15.
The Colonel James Anderson Memorial, "Labor", consists of a bust of Col. Anderson at the top of the Memorial, "The Reading Blacksmith" or simply "The Reader", and a plaque where Andrew Carnegie honored Col. Anderson.

Anderson Memorial: Photo 1 (1998 Oct.) (1)*** Photo 2 (2023 May) (5) *** Photo 3 (1998 Oct.) (1) Photo 4 (2023 May) (5)
Photo 5 (1998 Oct.) (1)***Photo 6 (1998 Oct.) (1) *** Photo 7 (2023 May) (5) *** Photo 8 (2023 May) (5) *** Photo 9 (2023 May) (5)

Photographs 1 through 4 show some of the original books from Colonel Anderson's library. These books were kept in a special collection, on an upper floor of the Allegheny Regional Branch of Carnegie Library.

Anderson Book Collection: Photo 1 *** Photo 2 *** Photo 3 ***Photo 4

The following photograph shows the former home of Colonel James Anderson, which is now a personal care home for senior citizens known as "Anderson Manor." Colonel Anderson's private library was opened to the public each Saturday afternoon; Colonel Anderson served as the librarian. Andrew Carnegie was one of the working boys of Allegheny City, who regularly visited this library.

Home of Col. James Anderson (Anderson Manor)

Photographs of the Colonel James Anderson Memorial
in its original location at the corner of Federal and East Ohio Streets, in 1937

Information and photographs regarding 2007 vandalism of the Col. James Anderson Memorial.

Williams, Candy. "Manchester tour to include home of early iron manufacturer."
TribLive.com: Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh 2017 Aug. 3.
This year's tour starts at Col. James Anderson House, 1423 Liverpool St., the former home of a successful early iron manufacturer who had the house built for his wife in 1830 in the Greek Revival style.
Martin Fuess, tour organizer, says Anderson amassed a sizable personal library in excess of 400 volumes and opened his library to local youth. By 1850, he moved his collection to the James Anderson Library Institute of Allegheny in Allegheny City.
One of the young men who used this new free library was Pittsburgh icon Andrew Carnegie, Fuess says. “Carnegie was so affected by his mentor's benefactions that he followed his example in later life by funding construction of the Carnegie Institute.”
“In 2016, the Manchester Historic Society acquired the property and plans to restore the core of the house to its early 19th-century grandeur, replicate Anderson's library, and honor his legacy by opening the home to the community,” Fuess says.

Rutter, Joe. "Steelers' Rooney remembered fondly by his beloved North Side."
TribLive.com: Tribune-Review, Pittsburgh 2017 April 14.
Pittsburgh Steelers' Chairman Dan Rooney died on 2017 April 13 at age 84.
Rooney was so proud of his neighborhood that, earlier this decade, he co-authored a book with local historian Carol
Peterson titled, “Allegheny City: A History of Pittsburgh's North Side.” Rooney was deeply involved in efforts to
preserve the North Side's history, neighbors said.
After Glenn A. Walsh notified Carnegie Library (by electronic mail on 2007 March 6) that the explanatory plate of the
Colonel James Anderson Memorial (gifted by Andrew Carnegie in 1904) was missing, later on Dan Rooney paid to
replace this explanatory plate. In 1988, this memorial had been reassembled and rededicated across from the
entrance to the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny, on the east lawn of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and
Institute of Popular Science.

Photographs of the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny
and the Colonel James Anderson Memorial in 1937

All seven images show the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny and Colonel James Anderson Memorial on April 23, 1937. The first five images show the Library and Memorial; the last two images are close-up views of the Anderson Memorial. These images show the Colonel James Anderson Memorial in its original location, at the corner of Federal and East Ohio Streets next to the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny. These images are from photographs taken by S.J. Link of Pittsburgh's Beaudry Studio; the photographs were taken to document the former Allegheny City Hall(prior to its demolition) and the construction of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science(across Federal Street from the Library). Click here to see images of the Library with the former Allegheny City Hall and the construction of the Buhl Planetarium building.

Image 1 (4)***Image 2 (4) ***Image 3 (4)***Image 4 (4) ***Image 5 (4)

Image 6 (4) ***Image 7 (4)

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Information and Photographs Regarding Vandalism of the Colonel James Anderson Memorial

In early March of 2007, the author (Glenn A. Walsh) noticed that the historic explanatory plate (located below the statue known as "The Reader") was missing from the Colonel James Anderson Memorial (gifted by Andrew Carnegie in 1904). Later, it was also noticed that the handle of the mallet, laid beside the statue known as "The Reader", was also missing.

The author (Glenn A. Walsh) notified Carnegie Library (by electronic mail on 2007 March 6) that the explanatory plate was missing. During the ground-breaking for the new Hill District Branch of Carnegie Library, on 2007 April 19, the author (Glenn A. Walsh) also specifically alerted about this vandalism (specifically, the missing explanatory plaque) to the long-time female member of The Carnegie Library Board of Trustees, who had spear-headed restoration of the Anderson Memorial next to Buhl Planetarium (across the walkway from the entrance to the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny) in 1988.

Apparently, the missing plaque and handle were the result of thefts to sell the plaque and handle for the value of their metallic content. It is similar to the problem today when catalytic converters (an emission control device on automobiles) are being stolen for the value of their metallic content.

From 1972 to 1988, the bust of Col. James Anderson and the statue "The Reader" had been located on the first floor of the renovated Allegheny Regional Branch of Carnegie Library, under the bottom of the spiral staircase, which connected to the second and third floors of the building. In 1988, this memorial had been reassembled and rededicated across from the entrance to the Carnegie Free Library of Allegheny, on the east lawn of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (then known as Buhl Science Center).

Later on, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, a proud native of Pittsburgh's North Side, donated the funds to replace the explanatory plate on the Anderson Memorial. There was no way to replicate the original plaque, so a more modern plaque was installed.

Photographs of the original plaque and mallet handle (1998 October): Photo 1 (1) *** Photo 2 (1)

Photographs of the new plaque and the mallet without the handle (2023 May): Photo 1 (5) *** Photo 2 (5) *** Photo 3 (5) *** Photo 4 (5) *** Photo 5 (5)

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More History of the
Allegheny Regional Branch,
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh -

History of the Lower North Side of Pittsburgh

Allegheny Regional Branch Library Web Site

Web Site of the Allegheny City Society
Preserving, promoting, and interpreting the history of Allegheny City and Pittsburgh's North Side

Neighboring Institutional Building:
The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science

* 2006 July 13 - Port Authority Board of Directors approves "North Shore Connector" rapid transit extension project, to serve Pittsburgh's Lower North Side.
*** Pittsburgh's Lower North Side, originally Allegheny City, is home to America's first publicly-funded Carnegie Library and the world's first Carnegie Hall, Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (which merged with Carnegie Institute in 1987), and it is the neighborhood where Andrew Carnegie grew-up.

* Historic Carnegie Library Clock Tower Struck by Lightning 2006 April 7 !