Year(s) Listed: • 2018 |
City/Town: • Leavenworth |
Location Class: • Government |
Built: 1900 | Year Saved: ~2013 |
Awards: • Honor Award |
Contributor: Kansas Preservation Alliance |
The Carnegie 601 Library was built in 1900 as part of the prestigious collection of libraries built by the Carnegie family. The library was the first Carnegie funded building in the state of Kansas and remained the Leavenworth Public library till 1987, when it was converted to the Carnegie Arts Center. The building remained a focal point for the community as a place were visual arts, painting, art history, dance, pottery, music and drama were taught. In 2012, the Arts Center was disbanded, and the building was turned over to the City, being eventually bought by Ilan Salzberg for redevelopment. Since then, great care was taken of the existing features when the main level was converted to office space, artist galleries, and artist studios, to allow the public to view all the creative processes. With opening of the artist lofts and public galleries, Carnegie 601 Library has once again become a center of creative learning and production in the Leavenworth community.