Austin Public Library
a.k.a. Austin History Center
810 Guadalupe St., Austin, TXThe Austin Public Library is a significant example of the severe classicism of the Italian Renaissance as interpreted in the 1930s.
One of the most architecturally distinctive public libraries constructed in Texas between the First and Second World Wars, the Italian Renaissance style Austin Public Library is a significant civic landmark in the historic fabric of the capital city. Austin was one of the last major cities in Texas to establish a public library, but the resulting facility was a significant example of the severe classicism of the Italian Renaissance as interpreted in the 1930s. The primary elevations and principal rooms are little changed, and overall the building retains a high degree of its historic integrity. It has been an important learning center and source of civic pride for the people of Austin since its completion in 1933. Evaluated within the context of architecture, the building is nominated under Criterion C at the local level of significance.
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Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
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.