Andrew Carnegie and a Century of Portland Libraries

Near the end of the 19th century, the richest man the world had ever known – Andrew Carnegie – decided to give away most of his wealth while he was still alive.  Building free public libraries became one of his first preferred charities. Between 1911 and 1922, seven Carnegie-funded libraries were built in Portland and Gresham, designed by four outstanding architects of the era.

How many of those architectural jewels still stand?  How many are still in active library use?  What became of the others? This presentation will answer these questions and will also address the early history of Portland libraries. Along the way we’ll also confront an issue that still reverberates today: just what should ultra-wealthy people do with their money?

Presenter Fred Leeson is President of the Bosco-Milligan Foundation board on which he has served since 2008. He is a retired Portland journalist and author and co-author of two local history books.

Space is limited. Pre-registration is recommended.