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Carnegie Art Museum (Oxnard, California)
Encyclopedia
The Carnegie Art Museum, formerly known as the Oxnard Public Library and the Carnegie Cultural Arts Center, is a Neo-Classical building and art museum located adjacent to Plaza Park in Oxnard, California
, United States
. It opened in 1907 as the Oxnard Public Library and was later converted into an art museum. In July 1971, it became the first building in Ventura County to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
. Industrialist Andrew Carnegie
initially gave $10,000 toward construction of a public library for the City of Oxnard, but as the plans were to be drawn, the city decided to build a more expensive building that could also house the city's municipal offices and city hall. In July 1906, the city signed a contract with Thomas Carroll for $14,000 to build the dual-use facility. Carnegie agreed to pay half of the additional appropriation in addition to the original $10,000 gift. Oxnard's first mayor, Richard Haydock, selected the Greek Neo-Classical architecture, which was designed by Los Angeles architect, Franklin Burnham.
The building opened on May 15, 1907, and five years later, Oxnard could boast that its library had "the largest circulation of any city of the sixth class in the State." In 1923, a three-story addition was built on the east side of the library. The structure continued to serve as Oxnard's city hall until 1949 and as the Oxnard Public Library until 1963.
In March 1963, the Oxnard Public Library moved to a new location, and the building was used between 1963 and 1975 by the Oxnard Art Club, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce. In July 1971, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places
, becoming the first site so designated in Ventura County. It also served as a facade for the "Dan August
" television show starring Burt Reynolds
in the early 1970s.
In 1977, the city received a $133,000 federal grant to restore the building, which re-opened on August 16, 1980 as the Carnegie Cultural Arts Center, which was the home of the Art Club of Oxnard, the Oxnard Historical Society Museum and the audiovisual portion of the Oxnard Public Library. In 1986, the building became the Carnegie Art Museum, owned and operated by the City of Oxnard. The museum had 37,000 visitors in 2002. It has hosted exhibitions by Southern California artists, including Michael Dvortcsak, Joyce Trieman, Frank Romero and Gronk. The Museum also has a permanent collection of more than 1,500 art and ethnographic objects, including over 600 paintings, drawings, prints and photographs primarily by 20th century California artists such as Arthur Beaumont, Colin Campbell Cooper
, Millard Sheets
, and Leo Politi
.
Oxnard, California
Oxnard is the 113th largest city in the United States, 19th largest city in California and largest city in Ventura County, California, by way of population. It is located at the western edge of the fertile Oxnard Plain, and is an important agricultural center, with its distinction as the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It opened in 1907 as the Oxnard Public Library and was later converted into an art museum. In July 1971, it became the first building in Ventura County to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Oxnard Public Library
The structure, resembling a Greek temple with Doric columns on three sides, was built from 1906-1907 as a Carnegie libraryCarnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
. Industrialist Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
initially gave $10,000 toward construction of a public library for the City of Oxnard, but as the plans were to be drawn, the city decided to build a more expensive building that could also house the city's municipal offices and city hall. In July 1906, the city signed a contract with Thomas Carroll for $14,000 to build the dual-use facility. Carnegie agreed to pay half of the additional appropriation in addition to the original $10,000 gift. Oxnard's first mayor, Richard Haydock, selected the Greek Neo-Classical architecture, which was designed by Los Angeles architect, Franklin Burnham.
The building opened on May 15, 1907, and five years later, Oxnard could boast that its library had "the largest circulation of any city of the sixth class in the State." In 1923, a three-story addition was built on the east side of the library. The structure continued to serve as Oxnard's city hall until 1949 and as the Oxnard Public Library until 1963.
Other uses and historic designation
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, becoming the first site so designated in Ventura County. It also served as a facade for the "Dan August
Dan August
Dan August is a short-lived 1970-1971 crime drama television series, which starred Burt Reynolds as the title character: a police lieutenant who investigated homicide cases in his hometown of Santa Luisa, California...
" television show starring Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
in the early 1970s.
Carnegie Art Museum
Colin Campbell Cooper
Colin Campbell Cooper, Jr. was an American Impressionist painter, perhaps most renowned for his architectural paintings, especially of skyscrapers in New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago. An avid traveler, he was also known for his paintings of European and Asian landmarks, as well as natural...
, Millard Sheets
Millard Sheets
Millard Owen Sheets was an American painter and a representative of the California School of Painting, later a teacher and educational director, and architect of more than 50 branch banks in Southern California.-Early life:...
, and Leo Politi
Leo Politi
Leo Politi was an Italian-American artist and author who wrote and illustrated some 20 children's books, as well as Bunker Hill, Los Angeles , intended for adults...
.