The Harrison Memorial Library is a historic building designed by architect Bernard Maybeck and built by Michael J. Murphy in 1928. It houses a public library for the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. The library provides books, materials and programs that support the pursuit of education, information, recreation, and culture. It includes documents about the history and development of Carmel and the Monterey Peninsula. The Harrison Memorial Library was named after California Supreme Court Justice Ralph C. Harrison.[1]
| Harrison Memorial Library | |
|---|---|
 Harrison Memorial Library, Carmel | |
 | |
| 36°33′19″N 121°55′24″W / 36.55528°N 121.92333°W | |
| Location | Ocean Avenue, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, US, U.S. state |
| Architect(s) | C. J. Ryland |
| Service area | Monterey County, California |
| Other information | |
| Website | Official website |
History
editOn September 27, 1918, Ella Reid Harrison, announced her plan to donate the land and $20,000 (equivalent to $405,133 in 2023) in bonds to the city to build a library in honor of her late husband. On October 12, 1922, after Ella Reid Harrison's death, her estate financed a memorial to her husband, California Supreme Court Justice Ralph Chandler Harrison (1833-1918), to establish a new public library.[2] Her estate included rare books, furniture, and a number of valuable art pieces for the library (over 2,000 items).[3] The new library was designed by California architect Bernard Maybeck in a Spanish Eclectic style and built by Michael J. Murphy, at a cost of $27,373 (equivalent to $357,347 in 2023).[4]
The library opened on March 31, 1928, in a two-story building in Carmel-by-the-Sea. It was renovated in 1949 and again in 1977.[4][5] Christine Delsol of SFGate described it as an "imposing Mission-style building with castle-sized windows."[6]
The Barnet Segal Reading Room is named for Barnet J. Segal.[7]
Construction works for the "most extensive renovation the library has seen in decades", which cost $372,000, began in February 2020.[8]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Kent L. Seavey (November 18, 2002). "Department Of Parks And Recreation" (PDF). State of California Department of Parks and Recreation. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- ^ "Mrs. Ella Reid Harrison Burned". Stockton Daily Evening Record. Stockton, California. 12 Oct 1922. p. 1. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
- ^ "Locked chest Hides Carmel Art Secrets". The San Francisco Examiner. San Francisco, California. 23 Jun 1927. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
- ^ a b Hale, Sharron Lee (1980). A tribute to yesterday: The history of Carmel, Carmel Valley, Big Sur, Point Lobos, Carmelite Monastery, and Los Burros. Santa Cruz, California: Valley Publishers. p. 67. ISBN 9780913548738. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
- ^ "History of the Library". ci.carmel.ca.us. Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
- ^ Delsol, Christine (29 October 2013). "Cozy up to Carmel's must-visit public library". SFGate. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
- ^ Russo, Stacy Shotsberger (2008-03-14). The Library as Place in California. McFarland. p. 202. ISBN 9780786431946. Retrieved 2022-08-18.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ Taylor, Dennis L. (3 June 2019). "Construction starts on Carmel library renovation". The Monterey County Herald. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
External links
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