EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. — Known for its healing waters, Excelsior Springs has also long served as a cornerstone of public education and civic life. One of the city’s enduring symbols of that commitment stands at the intersection of Broadway and Saratoga, the Carnegie Library.
Originally built in 1916, the library was funded by the Carnegie Foundation after residents came together to create a local space for learning, reading, and community connection. Although its purpose has evolved over the years, the building remains a lasting reflection of the community’s passion for education and civic engagement.
According to city preservation records, the library was built through a $10,000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation, secured through “efforts of the Civic Improvement Association to establish a library and reading room in Excelsior Springs.” But before construction began, the project sparked spirited debate over where the building should be located.
As Sonya Morgan noted on The Idle Hour website, “A local committee had corresponded with George Kessler, landscape architect for the Excelsior Springs Park system, in hopes that he would find a suitable spot for the library within Siloam Park.” Kessler declined, however, stating in a letter that “he really did not want to get involved with the controversy which was arising.”
The debate divided residents into two camps, each favoring different locations. “Letters were sent to the Carnegie Foundation asking them to intervene, which they refused to do,” Morgan wrote.
Ultimately, the city purchased the corner lot at Broadway and Saratoga for $1,000, awarding the construction contract to Bates, Cook, and Wilson for $8,803.94.
Morgan explained that the design followed Carnegie’s national building standards. “Based on past projects around the country,” she wrote, “the Carnegie Foundation developed a leaflet entitled ‘Notes on Library Buildings’ intended to prevent building blunders instead of attempting to correct them.”
The guidelines stressed functionality over decoration, noting that “all too many buildings were planned with expensive exteriors and inefficient, uneconomical interiors.” For smaller communities such as Excelsior Springs, the recommendation was simple: “The best results for a small library could be obtained in a rectangular-shaped building with a basement and one floor,” with side and rear windows placed six to seven feet from the floor to allow for shelving.
According to the Excelsior Springs Preservation webpage, the original structure was a one-story, three-bay brick Classical Revival building with a limestone foundation and shallow hip roof. Each side featured fluted wood pilasters with Doric capitals, and the north entrance included stone steps leading to double wood doors framed by columns and topped with a fanlight window and decorative spandrels.
Other details included tripartite windows with stone sills, flat brick arches, and a stone keystone. A decorative iron fence enclosed the small front yard, and iron rails bordered the lower windows. Inside, the 12- to 15-foot ceilings allowed room for bookstacks, a circulation desk, and ample reading space, hallmarks of Carnegie’s vision for accessible, functional libraries.
The Mid-Continent Public Library (MCPL) system was officially established in 1965. Three years later, in 1968, the Excelsior Springs Library merged with the Clay County Library, becoming part of the MCPL system at that time. The Carnegie building then served as the Excelsior Springs Branch of MCPL from 1968 until the end of 1972. The branch later moved to a larger location in the Crown Hill Shopping Center, reopening on January 15, 1973, where it remained until the current library location opened in 1986.
After serving for decades as the library, the building functioned as the city’s police department for a time. Once the new police station was built, the Good Samaritan Center moved in and took over ownership and maintenance until they outgrew the space and moved down the street to their current location.
Today, the historic library is privately owned and remains located on Broadway. It is also listed on the Local. Register of Historic Places. The National Park Service’s Teaching with Historic Places Program describes Carnegie libraries as gateways to “the worlds of information and imagination,” noting that between 1886 and 1919, Andrew Carnegie funded 1,679 library buildings across the United States.
“These libraries entertained and educated millions,” the NPS states. Carnegie’s philanthropic efforts extended beyond books; he gave away nearly 90% of his fortune, donating roughly $350 million to causes ranging from education and science to peace initiatives.
“Carnegie was exceptional in part because of the scale of his contributions,” the NPS added. “He supported such a variety of charities.”
Although his motives were sometimes criticized, the results of his philanthropy remain visible across the country. In Excelsior Springs, his gift created not just a building but a gathering place, one that represents how a community with differing opinions ultimately came together to build something lasting.
Though no longer an active library, the Carnegie building endures as a reminder of the city’s shared history, civic spirit, and enduring commitment to learning.
For more information on local historical sites, visit cityofesmo.com/preservation or theidlehour.com/history.html.
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