Book Lovers Swoon Over This Beautiful Oregon Library That Was Built In 1913
By Catherine Armstrong|Published November 08, 2020
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
Our public libraries are truly special places in our communities. They offer books on thousands of subjects, but that’s just the beginning. They also have computers and other research tools, offer entertainment via DVDs, music CDs, and games, and provide safe, family-friendly activities.
The Central Library in the Multnomah County Library System was completed in 1913, and it’s a beautiful place for book-lovers of all ages to visit.
It took about two years to construct the Central Library in Portland, and on September 6, 1913, the library was dedicated. The building cost $480,000, but residents quickly deemed it money well spent once they got a look at its beautiful interior.
...and the marble columns in the lobby are stately and impressive. Overhead, Solar Wreath, a huge light fixture, is just one of many stunning fixtures throughout.
The library covers 125,000 square feet, over three floors. Central Library's first librarian, Mary Frances Isom, envisioned this place as the center of the community, and the Reading Room certainly embodies that notion.
The room's huge windows let in tons of light, and its large tables make it easy to spend an afternoon basking in the sights and smells of thousands of books. In fact, 17 miles of shelves hold 725,000 books throughout this library!
In addition to its stacks filled with children's books, the library is home to a huge bronze sculpture called Preserving a Memory - a large tree with a trunk showcasing all kinds of artifacts.
Learn more about the Multnomah County Library System and the Central Library here. And, if you find yourself in Portland and you love books, you’re most certainly going to want to visit this humongous bookstore.
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