Our History

Exclamation Mark (150 × 150 px) (1)

The Braddock Avenue/Kenmawr Avenue ramp onto the Rankin Bridge is closed through the end of the year. Please check your route for detours.

SEARCH THE CATALOG

Exclamation Mark (150 × 150 px) (1)

The Braddock Avenue/Kenmawr Avenue ramp onto the Rankin Bridge is closed through the end of the year. Please check your route for detours.

SEARCH THE CATALOG

We Forge Our Own History

Welcome to the home of the first Carnegie library in the United States! Established in 1889 in Braddock, Pennsylvania, the library stands as a testament to Andrew Carnegie's vision of providing access to knowledge and resources for all.

Braddock Carnegie Library Timeline

Where Our Story Begins…

Situated in the very town where Carnegie's inaugural steel mill operated, the Braddock Carnegie Library embodies the opulence of the nineteenth-century industrial boom. Its architectural style and intricate details reflect the prosperity of the era. Over time, the building has not only retained its beauty but has also borne witness to the challenges faced by economically disadvantaged neighborhoods and public institutions. As the community endured industrial decline and population loss, the library, too, bore the scars of neglect.

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What’s coming up...

 

Costume Making & Creating
Mondays in October 4:30pm-6pm | Braddock's Battlefield History Center

Every Monday in October, we will be hosting a special Costume Making and Creating program for all ages. Children, youth, and adults are invited to come with a costume idea we can bring to life!

Sewing machines, some fabric, and lots of creativity provided!

For the final session (October 28th), we will have a costume party with cider and donuts!

“This building was built to last…for generations to come…a center of light & learning, a never-failing spring of all good influences.”

— Andrew Carnegie, March 30, 1889 Dedication of Braddock Carnegie Library