Pyle, Ernie, House
a.k.a. Ernie Pyle Library; Ernie Pyle House
900 Girard Blvd., SE, Albuquerque, NMErnie Pyle was a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist, most known for his work as a World War II correspondent. He was killed by Japanese sniper fire in 1945, on the tiny island of le Shima. His column, according to the New York Times, was the "chronicler of the average soldier's daily rounds." 4 Fondness for his column was almost universal, from Eleanor Roosevelt to the local butcher; all expressed deep admiration for the "shy, little man." Pyle had his house built on Albuquerque's East Mesa in 1940, just before leaving for England to cover the burgeoning war. He and his wife owned the house until 1945, when they both died. The house today is Ernie Pyle Library, a City of Albuquerque branch library, home of the annual August 3 "Ernie Pyle Day" celebration and a major pilgrimage site for Pyle's fans. This house is worthy of listing on the National Register because it is associated with Pyle's productive life more than any other building. Pyle's birthplace, in Dana, Indiana is an Indiana State Historic Landmark.
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1997.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.