Hyde Park / Woodlawn

Blackstone Branch Library

4904 S. Lake Park Ave.

Cultural/Community

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Saturday

10am - 5pm

Sunday

1pm - 5pm

Accessibility & Amenities

  • Family Friendly
  • Photography Allowed
  • Restrooms Available
  • Wheelchair Accessible

Architect

Solon Spencer Beman

Year Completed

Blackstone opened in 1904.

DETAILS:

This library was designed by Solon S. Beman. It was presented as a gift to the residents of Chicago from Isabel Blackstone in memory of her late husband, Timothy Beach Blackstone, president of the Chicago and Alton Railroad. This Beaux-Arts classic, which opened in 1904 as the first branch of the Chicago Public Library, is modeled after the Erechtheion temple on the Athenian Acropolis. It features a central rotunda with a Tiffany-style dome and four lunette murals painted by early 20th-century artist Oliver Dennett Grover. Other architectural details include an upper-level glass floor, stained-glass ceilings, carved marble, walnut wainscoting and mosaic tile floors.

VISITOR EXPERIENCE:

Visitors are welcome to explore the library's architectural features at their leisure.

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Hyde Park / Woodlawn