In 1915, where our current library now stands, the Downers Grove Carnegie Library was built for the community — a cornerstone of knowledge, education, and civic pride.
The idea of a library in Downers Grove began in 1891, when the Ladies Library Association opened a small reading room in the Farmers and Merchants Building on Main Street. As the town grew, so did the demand for books and space. The solution was to construct a permanent library, but funding was needed. Downers Grove turned to the Andrew Carnegie Foundation — a source of support that changed the future of libraries across America.
Andrew Carnegie and His Vision
Andrew Carnegie (1836–1919), born in Scotland and immigrating to America at age 12, rose from factory worker to the richest man in the world through his success in railroads, steel, and industry. Yet Carnegie believed wealth came with responsibility. “It is the moral obligation of the rich to distribute their money in ways that promote the welfare and happiness of the common man,” he wrote.
Remembering how, as a boy, he could not afford the $2 library fee, Carnegie resolved to make free public libraries possible everywhere. Between 1882 and 1929, his foundation funded nearly 2,500 libraries worldwide — over half of them in the United States. Illinois alone received 106 grants, totaling more than $1.6 million.
Carnegie called libraries “a never-ceasing foundation of good to all.” His grants required communities to provide land, commit public funds for operations, and guarantee free service for everyone.
Building the Downers Grove Library
In 1915, Downers Grove citizens met Carnegie’s requirements and secured an $8,500 grant. Louis B. Wells, the first president of the Library Board, led the effort with architect Frederick Lundquist, contractors James W. Chilvers and Ernest Brunet, and bricklayer Henry Woelfersheim. Residents donated an additional $900 for furnishings, while John Oldfield provided the library site.
Construction began in April 1915, and on October 14 that year, the community gathered for the grand opening. Several hundred residents attended the celebration, which featured music, speeches, and admiration for the new building. The library opened with 3,000 volumes and a lecture hall for 200 people. Hours were limited — Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 2–9 p.m., and Sunday afternoons — but the dream of a true public library was realized.
The Legacy Today
Though the Carnegie building no longer stands, its spirit endures. Andrew Carnegie’s vision of a free public library for all remains the foundation of the Downers Grove Public Library today. The Downers Grove Historical Society is proud to name the Carnegie Library site as its 2025 Historic Site — honoring not just a building, but a tradition of learning, community, and generosity that continues to thrive.
