Calgary's oldest library has ties to one of the richest Americans ever
Just south of downtown Calgary sits the Central Memorial Library and Park, a stunning, 113-year-old landmark with an incredible history.
Opened to the public in 1912, the Central Memorial Library, then known as the Central Park Library, was Calgary’s first public library and quickly became one of the city’s most important cultural and educational hubs.
The idea for the library came from Annie Davidson, one of Calgary’s cultural pioneers and visionaries. She believed Calgary needed a public library to help transform the western town into a mature city. In 1906, Davidson, alongside Calgary’s Women’s Literary Club, advocated for the construction of the facility.
The library was funded by American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who helped establish nearly 3,000 libraries around the world during his lifetime. Calgary’s Central Park Library was one of 125 Carnegie libraries built across Canada, and among the largest and most impressive.
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Carnegie is well known as one of the richest Americans in history. It’s estimated that in today’s dollars, his net worth would be around $309 billion, surpassing modern billionaires like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.
In the late 19th century to early 20th century, Carnegie donated over $56 million worldwide to help build libraries; $2.5 million of that went toward the 125 libraries he funded in Canada, including three in Alberta. He offered Calgary’s City Council $80,000 to build the library.
Like many of his libraries, the Central Park Library featured a classically inspired design, complete with a grand columned entrance, ornamental exterior elements, and an elegant interior.
It served as the city’s main library from 1912 to 1963, even hosting Calgary’s first art show in 1912, which featured 200 European paintings. In 1963, the building became a branch library and housed the archives and research centre for the Glenbow Museum.
In 1976, Central Memorial Library was named a provincial historic site, and in 2018, the library and its surrounding park were designated a National Historic Site.
In 2020, the building underwent renovations to restore the decor of its interior to resemble what it looked like when it opened way back in 1912. Today, the Central Memorial Library still serves Calgarians and is home to the Musical Lending Library, the Alexander Calhoun Salon, Wordfest, and more.