Carnegie Public Library

188 West Hill Street

Built: 1903

Style: Neo-Classical

The Wabash Carnegie Public Library was built with a donation of $20,000 from Andrew Carnegie. The structure's architect was John Franklin Wing of Wing and Mahurin of Fort Wayne. The initial stacks contained less than 5,000 books, but a growing collection of volumes and other educational materials brought about a tripling of size with a 1970s addition, which is sympathetic in materials and color.

The most prominent feature of this Neo-Classical structure is its portico with Ionic columns supporting a plain frieze and pediment with decorative antefixes. Before the 1970s addition, a stairway led from Hill Street to the main entry door within the portico. Another very noteworthy feature is the copper dome, which in the interior, exhibits a display of colored wire glass.