1076 - Carnegie Library

The late 19th and early 20th centuries brought a population boom to Oklahoma. As more and more residents put down roots in Great Plains Country, a greater demand for institutions such as public libraries became obvious. Through the efforts of the Women’s Federated Clubs of Lawton, the first library in town opened in 1904. The collection was housed at City Hall. While the City of Lawton funded the librarian’s salary and the general upkeep of the facility, it was up to the Federated Clubs to raise money for book acquisition. And that’s just what they did! Within a year, the library had over 3,500 volumes available for local patrons. The first library was a success and growth was on the horizon.

Around the turn of the century, before the first library in Lawton was organized, steel magnate Andrew Carnegie retired from industry and generously established a fund to support the construction of free public libraries. In an inspiring act of benevolence, he granted over forty million dollars, enough to open approximately 1,600 libraries across the United States. Towns and cities in Oklahoma received twenty-four grants from Carnegie, totaling $464,500. These funds supported the construction of many libraries in cities throughout the state, including Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Shawnee, and right here in Lawton.

In 1916, a $25,000 grant from the philanthropist was awarded to the community to build a new library. The grant, along with a $17,000 contribution from the City of Lawton, was enough to break ground on the last Carnegie library built in Oklahoma. The library was designed by local architect J.W. Smith and featured buff-tan brick with white limestone which was used for window trim and other ornamentation. The library opened in the new building in 1923 and housed over 4,000 books, welcoming visitors and encouraging them to expand their knowledge and imagination through the written word. Over the years, the library continued to grow in order to meet the needs of the community, including an addition added in 1943 through the Works Projects Administration.

In 1973, the final book was checked out from the Carnegie Library as a new library opened in town, which continues to serve the community to this day. The Carnegie Library in Lawton was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and is now known as Lawton Town Hall.