The original Omaha Public Library building is an office building and former library located at 1823 Harney Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Renowned architect and future Nebraska Hall of Fame inductee Thomas Rogers Kimball designed it in the Second Renaissance Revival style. The building served as the main branch of the Omaha Public Library from 1894 until the completion of the W. Dale Clark Library in 1977. The building was designated an Omaha Landmark in October 1978, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places that same year.
History The original Omaha Public Library building was built in the early 1890s and opened in 1894. The building was designed by Thomas Kimball, and was used as the main branch of the Omaha Public Library until 1977. Similar to the Boston Public Library, the original Omaha Public Library building is the best early Second Renaissance Revival structure in Nebraska. Byron Reed, a pioneer real estate broker in Omaha, donated the site for the building and his collection of books, manuscripts and coins."Omaha Public Library", City of Omaha Landmark Heritage Preservation Commission. Retrieved 10/5/09.
In 1975, following years of disrepair, it was announced that the building would be replaced with the W. Dale Clark Library. The library closed on February 16, 1977. The W. Dale Clark Library opened in March of that same year. It was subsequently renovated as an office building called the "Omaha Library Plaza".Pollack, O. "Postcards from the Past", Nebraska Center for the Book News. Retrieved 9/5/07. The Omaha Public Library building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. That same year, it was also listed as an Omaha Landmark.
See also History of Omaha Omaha Public Library
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External links
Historical images - Nebraska Memories Historic photo