CLICK TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH DIANNA STAMPFLER, PROMOTE MICHIGAN
During industrialist Andrew Carnegie’s lifetime, the businessman and philanthropist donated money for the construction of more than 2,470 libraries around the world between 1883 and 1929.
Many, including the Ishpeming Public Librray, are still open to this day, while others have found other purposes in their communities.
On Tuesday, September 3 at 5:00 p.m., historian and professional public speaker Dianna Stampfler will give a presentation in Escanaba on “Carnegie Libraries in Michigan”. The pesentation will be at the current Escanaba Public Library, and she will look back at the history of the old building that’s still located on South Seventh Street in Escanaba. It is not a library anymore and is privately owned.
Then on Wednesday, September 4, at 5:30 p.m., Stampfler will give a presentation in Ishpeming at the Carnegie library there, which is still a library.
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“There were 61 Carnegie libraries in Michigan, and four of the first five were in the U.P.,” Stampfler told RRN News. “It was because of the connections that he had to the iron towns that he owned, and the operations that he had there. Ironwood was actually the first Carnegie Library in Michigan and is still in operation. They’re undergoing a $650,000 renovation. Iron Mountain, I think there’s is still operating. In Sault Ste. Marie, it’s part of the school system now. Sadly, in Iron River, there’s had to be taken down a couple of years ago.”
And of course, the Ishpeming Carnegie Public Library is still in operation.
Since 1997, Dianna has been presenting lively and upbeat programs about the area’s historic and unique destinations in her home state of Michigan. And she is hoping to get a look inside the Escanaba building along Seventh Street.
“Thankfully, it’s still standing,” Stampfler said. “Back in the 1950’s they removed the beautiful dome from the top of it, which was a sad affair. That was unique. There weren’t a lot of them. It has been renovated and it (the dome) has been put back on there. I have done some outreach to the local businessman who owns it and I’m waiting to hear back. But I would love to take a tour of that building while I’m in town.”
Stampfler, who lives in Petoskey, is a passionate professional speaker, with a degree in communications from Western Michigan University and nearly 40 years’ experience in radio broadcasting and public speaking. She is the author of Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses (2019) and Death & Lighthouses on the Great Lakes (2022).
Both of this week’s library events are free for everyone to attend.
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