Andrew Carnegie, an immigrant who rose from humble beginnings, founded Carnegie Steel and amassed a fortune through the railroads becoming a magnate of the Gilded Age. Later in life, Carnegie became a philanthropist, donating much of his wealth, including funds for about 3,000 libraries worldwide. Sioux Falls was lucky enough to get a Carnegie Library, but luck really had nothing to do with it. 

Senator R.F. Pettigrew makes his own luck and in 1901 he was able to entice Carnegie to donate $25,000 for a free public library in Sioux Falls South Dakota. A pretty big deal for a pretty small city at the time. Interestingly, just before this generous gift, the Lyon Family had donated an old church for library use—a gift quickly overshadowed by Carnegie’s offer. The Sioux Falls City Council chose a spot at 10th and Dakota to build the Carnegie Library, right in the heart of the city. It was constructed from locally quarried Sioux quartzite, by architect Joseph Schwarz. 

The Carnegie Library opened in 1903, it served as the public library until 1972 when it moved to the Downtown branch we know today. The Carnegie building then became The Civic Fine Arts Center before they outgrew the space transitioning to the Washington Pavilion in 1999 and eventually the old library stood vacant, awaiting its next chapter. The city faced the challenge of deciding the building’s future, as many historic structures like the Carnegie Library such as the State Theater, Coliseum, were at risk of demolition or neglect. Despite close calls, each of these landmarks still stand. In a full-circle moment, the old Carnegie Library now houses the Sioux Falls City Council.