Stillwater, Minnesota is the home of one of the Andrew Carnegie Public Libraries established in the US, England, Ireland, Canada and elsewhere throughout the world. Steel magnate and philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie immigrated from Scotland to the United States in 1848. He worked his way up from factory worker in a bobbin factory to one of America’s leading industrialists by the turn of the century. After selling his iron works company to US Steel in 1901, Mr. Carnegie became one of America’s most prominent philanthropists. He established over 2500 libraries worldwide, most of which still stand today.
Stillwater Public Library was established in 1897 and the building-overlooking the beautiful St. Croix River– was completed in 1902. Over the years, several additions and remodeling efforts have seamlessly blended the historic building and architecture with modern needs for more space, handicap access, and new technology.
The view from the outdoor reading area (closed in winter):
Quiet study carrels:
Comfortable reading areas:
Original stained glass windows:
A fabulous fine art collection–bequested from Richard Huelsman, a former library trustee, and others…
And my favorite part…the camera books are directly across from…
the quilt books!
So if you’re looking for a little P and Q (peace and quiet)–or need anything to read, download to your Kindle, Iphone, etc…I would highly recommend a trip to your local (Andrew Carnegie?) library!