Fort Worth Library

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Fort Worth Library. Now, every good story needs an opening move, and this one starts with nerve. A local woman (and the marker doesn't give us her name, which is a shame, because she deserves one) walked up to one of the most famous philanthropists in the world, Andrew Carnegie, and asked him to donate, and I want you to hear this exactly right, quote, the price of a good cigar.

That was her pitch. The price of a good cigar. Carnegie must have liked the cut of her jib, because he didn't hand over cigar money.

He handed over fifty thousand dollars. That is not a cigar. That is a very nice library.

Carnegie's fifty thousand, stacked on top of substantial local gifts (including land donated by Mrs. Sarah J. Jennings) was enough to open the first city library right here on this site in 1901.

Now, the first librarian was Mrs. Charles Schevber, and she was no quiet keeper of shelves. She was active in the parks movement, active in local art circles, and from 1911 to 1917 she served as vice president of the American Federation of Art.

The woman ran a library and helped shape how a city thought about beauty. The original building stood until 1938, when it was razed. What rose in its place (the building that carries this marker) is built in a modern Classic style and is four times as large as that first library.

Four times. All of it growing from one woman's audacity and one philanthropist's answer to a question about cigars.

What the marker says

Seeking funds for a public library, local woman asked the philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, to donate "the price of a good cigar". He gave $50,000. With that and substantial local gifts, including land donated by Mrs. Sarah J. Jennings, the first city library opened on this site, 1901. First librarian, Mrs. Charles Schevber, was active in parks movement and local art circles. She was vice president, 1911-1917, American Federation of Art. The old library was razed in 1938. This building in modern Classic style is four times as large as the original library. (1967)