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Mapleton’s Carnegie Library Marks 116 Years
This digitally enhanced photo shows Mapleton’s library mid-construction, in 1909. The building was the first “small” Carnegie library and the result of a $5000 grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, which hinged on the town’s commitment to allot funds for its upkeep. It was dedicated on February 11, 1910. The original photo is on display at the Maple River Heritage Museum.
This digitally enhanced photo shows James Ellis, who was born in the same town as Andrew Carnegie and who later settled in Mapleton. He penned a letter to Carnegie that began the process of constructing the library building in Mapleton.
The original photo is on display at the Maple River Heritage Museum.
The digitally enhanced photo at right shows the newspaper office where Hoatling, who was instrumental in securing the funds for the library, worked and printed the Blue Earth County Enterprise. The original photo can be viewed at the Maple River Heritage Museum.
MAPLETON — While many towns house at least a small library, the one in Mapleton happens to stand on a unique legacy.
In 1905, prominent Mapleton settler James A. Ellis took it upon himself to try and secure the funds necessary to construct a library in the town. His approach? Appeal to an extraordinary personal connection: Andrew Carnegie.
According to carnegie.org, Andrew was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1835. The industrialization of the town left his father struggling to provide, and by age 13, Andrew’s formal schooling was finished and he immigrated to America with his parents and younger brother. Carnegie went to work upon the family’s arrival in Allegheny, Penn., and he quickly showed his business acumen, starting out as a bobbin boy in a factory and working his way up to becoming a supervisor at the Pennsylvania Railroad by the time he was 24.
His namesake website writes, “Not just ambitious, young Carnegie was a voracious reader, and he took advantage of the generosity of an Allegheny citizen, Colonel James Anderson, who opened his library to local working boys — a rare opportunity in those days. Through the years books provided most of Andrew Carnegie’s education, remaining invaluable as he rapidly progressed through his career.” By age 30, Carnegie was well on his way to becoming one of the world’s wealthiest men.
With all that wealth, Carnegie did something few other millionaires (or billionaires, by today’s standards) have aspired to do: give it all away before he died. One of his favorite ways to do that was through the establishment of libraries.
Carnegie.org writes, “One of the most tangible examples of Andrew Carnegie’s philanthropy was the founding of 2,509 libraries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of these libraries, 1,679 were built in the United States. Carnegie spent over $55 million of his wealth on libraries alone, and he is often referred to as the ‘Patron Saint of Libraries.’”
By 1905, when Mapleton’s Ellis was searching for library funding, Carnegie had already amassed his fortune and retired several years earlier, making him an ideal connection for Ellis.
Ellis was also born in Dunfermline, which is situated
about 18 miles northwest of Edinburgh. Not only that, but Ellis’ sister, Annie, was a childhood playmate of Carnegie’s mother, and Carnegie had personal knowledge of Ellis’ younger brother.
Ellis penned a heartfelt letter, a copy of which is available to view at the Maple River Heritage Museum, to Carnegie, appealing to their shared "Auld Grey Town" roots. He spoke of the intelligent citizens of Mapleton and his lifelong admiration for Carnegie’s work. This personal plea, grounded in a shared history of Scottish textile weavers and family friendships, moved the “Iron Master” to grant the funds for a library ... eventually. The town first had to rally around the cause, something resident Herb Hoatling, the town’s newspaper publisher, made his personal mission.
Part of securing the funds was the need to make a plan for the building’s upkeep. According to a 1938 article in the Blue Earth County Enterprise, Hoatling urged the village to enact a tax specifically for the purpose.
James Ellis was reportedly disappointed by an initial “overthrow” of the project, as the town did not initially rally around the idea of the added expense. In fact, at the building’s dedication, Mayor J.H. Dobie alluded to the “many discontented minds” the library board had to contend with during the process.
Eventually, however the upkeep tax was approved, funding from Carnegie received, and the plans to build moved forward.
As part of the planning process, the city created an ordinance, available to view at the Maple River Heritage Museum, to accept Carnegie’s gift. Excerpts of the ordinance, including wording on the tax that was so hotly contested, are below.
Mapleton City Ordinance Number 33 (Published May 8, 1908)
• For the consideration of $5,000, the Village of Mapleton, in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, agrees to set aside a suitable site for such building, and upon payment of the said sum of $5,000 and the completion of such Library building, to forever thereafter maintain a Public Library therein.
• The Village of Mapleton further agrees to levy an appropriate sum for the maintenance of said Public Library… and are hereby irrevocably pledged.
While Carnegie received thousands of requests for libraries, the Mapleton appeal was deeply personal. Ellis wrote of his “adopted town” and its intelligent citizens, many of whom were fellow Scotsmen who would appreciate the gift as much as any community in the world. Carnegie donated $5,000 for the erection of the building, which was his first grant of less than $10,000, making it unique. At the time of its dedication, the building was recognized as the smallest Andrew Carnegie Library.
Small in Stature, Grand in Design
Dedicated on Feb. 11, 1910, the library is a master class in early 20th-century architecture condensed into a 26' x 52' footprint. Despite its size, the building committee spared no detail to ensure the structure reflected the importance of its mission:
• Exterior: The structure features a combination of brick and Kasota stone, accented by Tuscan columns at the entrance. Kasota stone, often referred to as Kasota limestone or Mankato stone, is a high-quality dolomitic limestone found in the Minnesota River Valley. It is primarily quarried in Kasota and Mankato, which are just a short drive north of Mapleton.
• Roofing: The original builders utilized ceramic tiles with copper flashing to ensure the library would endure for generations. This roof was later replaced with composition shingles and then again with embossed steel, more in keeping with the original tile design.)
• Interior: The vestibule features ceramic tiles inlaid in a concrete floor, while the main reading room was finished with cork flooring and red oak bookshelves. While Carnegie provided the funds for the building, the community matched the $5,000 gift to furnish the interior. Local craftsmen constructed bookshelves, tables, chairs, and desks — most of which are still in use.
Today, more than 100 years later, Mapleton’s Carnegie library still stands, a testament to the determination of one Scot and the generosity of another. However, as with any aging building, maintaining that legacy comes with challenges. Some of the current hurdles the library is facing, as a public building, revolve around the need to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The library was built on a raised cellar, necessitating a grand stairway to the entrance; it is not wheelchair accessible. The building’s restroom also needs to be updated for accessibility. These challenges, while able to be overcome, require funding to do so.
As a building on the National Registry of Historical Places, the library is a primary source of Mapleton’s history. It is a rare survivor of an era when a personal letter and a shared heritage could build a landmark. The Mapleton Carnegie Library is not just the first “small Carnegie library,” it is a world-class piece of history that continues to serve as a monument to a local farmer’s audacity and a global philanthropist’s commitment to “promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding” and doing “real and permanent good in this world.” (carnegie.org).
In 1905, prominent Mapleton settler James A. Ellis took it upon himself to try and secure the funds necessary to construct a library in the town. His approach? Appeal to an extraordinary personal connection: Andrew Carnegie.
According to carnegie.org, Andrew was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1835. The industrialization of the town left his father struggling to provide, and by age 13, Andrew’s formal schooling was finished and he immigrated to America with his parents and younger brother. Carnegie went to work upon the family’s arrival in Allegheny, Penn., and he quickly showed his business acumen, starting out as a bobbin boy in a factory and working his way up to becoming a supervisor at the Pennsylvania Railroad by the time he was 24.
His namesake website writes, “Not just ambitious, young Carnegie was a voracious reader, and he took advantage of the generosity of an Allegheny citizen, Colonel James Anderson, who opened his library to local working boys — a rare opportunity in those days. Through the years books provided most of Andrew Carnegie’s education, remaining invaluable as he rapidly progressed through his career.” By age 30, Carnegie was well on his way to becoming one of the world’s wealthiest men.
With all that wealth, Carnegie did something few other millionaires (or billionaires, by today’s standards) have aspired to do: give it all away before he died. One of his favorite ways to do that was through the establishment of libraries.
Carnegie.org writes, “One of the most tangible examples of Andrew Carnegie’s philanthropy was the founding of 2,509 libraries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of these libraries, 1,679 were built in the United States. Carnegie spent over $55 million of his wealth on libraries alone, and he is often referred to as the ‘Patron Saint of Libraries.’”
By 1905, when Mapleton’s Ellis was searching for library funding, Carnegie had already amassed his fortune and retired several years earlier, making him an ideal connection for Ellis.
Ellis was also born in Dunfermline, which is situated
about 18 miles northwest of Edinburgh. Not only that, but Ellis’ sister, Annie, was a childhood playmate of Carnegie’s mother, and Carnegie had personal knowledge of Ellis’ younger brother.
Ellis penned a heartfelt letter, a copy of which is available to view at the Maple River Heritage Museum, to Carnegie, appealing to their shared "Auld Grey Town" roots. He spoke of the intelligent citizens of Mapleton and his lifelong admiration for Carnegie’s work. This personal plea, grounded in a shared history of Scottish textile weavers and family friendships, moved the “Iron Master” to grant the funds for a library ... eventually. The town first had to rally around the cause, something resident Herb Hoatling, the town’s newspaper publisher, made his personal mission.
Part of securing the funds was the need to make a plan for the building’s upkeep. According to a 1938 article in the Blue Earth County Enterprise, Hoatling urged the village to enact a tax specifically for the purpose.
James Ellis was reportedly disappointed by an initial “overthrow” of the project, as the town did not initially rally around the idea of the added expense. In fact, at the building’s dedication, Mayor J.H. Dobie alluded to the “many discontented minds” the library board had to contend with during the process.
Eventually, however the upkeep tax was approved, funding from Carnegie received, and the plans to build moved forward.
As part of the planning process, the city created an ordinance, available to view at the Maple River Heritage Museum, to accept Carnegie’s gift. Excerpts of the ordinance, including wording on the tax that was so hotly contested, are below.
Mapleton City Ordinance Number 33 (Published May 8, 1908)
• For the consideration of $5,000, the Village of Mapleton, in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, agrees to set aside a suitable site for such building, and upon payment of the said sum of $5,000 and the completion of such Library building, to forever thereafter maintain a Public Library therein.
• The Village of Mapleton further agrees to levy an appropriate sum for the maintenance of said Public Library… and are hereby irrevocably pledged.
While Carnegie received thousands of requests for libraries, the Mapleton appeal was deeply personal. Ellis wrote of his “adopted town” and its intelligent citizens, many of whom were fellow Scotsmen who would appreciate the gift as much as any community in the world. Carnegie donated $5,000 for the erection of the building, which was his first grant of less than $10,000, making it unique. At the time of its dedication, the building was recognized as the smallest Andrew Carnegie Library.
Small in Stature, Grand in Design
Dedicated on Feb. 11, 1910, the library is a master class in early 20th-century architecture condensed into a 26' x 52' footprint. Despite its size, the building committee spared no detail to ensure the structure reflected the importance of its mission:
• Exterior: The structure features a combination of brick and Kasota stone, accented by Tuscan columns at the entrance. Kasota stone, often referred to as Kasota limestone or Mankato stone, is a high-quality dolomitic limestone found in the Minnesota River Valley. It is primarily quarried in Kasota and Mankato, which are just a short drive north of Mapleton.
• Roofing: The original builders utilized ceramic tiles with copper flashing to ensure the library would endure for generations. This roof was later replaced with composition shingles and then again with embossed steel, more in keeping with the original tile design.)
• Interior: The vestibule features ceramic tiles inlaid in a concrete floor, while the main reading room was finished with cork flooring and red oak bookshelves. While Carnegie provided the funds for the building, the community matched the $5,000 gift to furnish the interior. Local craftsmen constructed bookshelves, tables, chairs, and desks — most of which are still in use.
Today, more than 100 years later, Mapleton’s Carnegie library still stands, a testament to the determination of one Scot and the generosity of another. However, as with any aging building, maintaining that legacy comes with challenges. Some of the current hurdles the library is facing, as a public building, revolve around the need to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The library was built on a raised cellar, necessitating a grand stairway to the entrance; it is not wheelchair accessible. The building’s restroom also needs to be updated for accessibility. These challenges, while able to be overcome, require funding to do so.
As a building on the National Registry of Historical Places, the library is a primary source of Mapleton’s history. It is a rare survivor of an era when a personal letter and a shared heritage could build a landmark. The Mapleton Carnegie Library is not just the first “small Carnegie library,” it is a world-class piece of history that continues to serve as a monument to a local farmer’s audacity and a global philanthropist’s commitment to “promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding” and doing “real and permanent good in this world.” (carnegie.org).
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