The Public Library in Lorain, Ohio, was built by Andrew Carnegie in 1903. It housed the city’s library until 1957, when a new building was built on 6th Street. Between 1957 and 2013, the building had many uses, including a civil defense building and then a home for the city’s parks and recreation department. That was closed in 2008, and the building remained empty until 2013, when the Lorain Historical Society bought the building from the Lorain Port Authority for $10 and proceeded to raise $2 million to renovate it. Currently, the building is home to the Lorain Historical Society. An Ohio historic marker has been installed at the front of the building honoring author and Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison. As a high school student, Chloe Wofford (later known as Toni Morrison) shelved books in this building. She has credited the librarians here for cultivating her love of reading.
This story was submitted by a Carnegie Library fan. Got a story? Share it here.
