What Is the Council Bluffs Free Public Library?
Today, this is the Union Pacific Railroad Museum at the start of the first Transcontinental Railroad!
What Makes It Historical?
When Andrew Carnegie offered to fund free public libraries across the country, Council Bluffs was not to be left out! Spearheading that campaign was W. S. Baird, one of the library’s trustees, who wrote letters to Mr. Carnegie asking for funds, because Council Bluff’s book collection had stretched beyond its walls! Mr. Carnegie eventually gave an offer of $70,000 (well over $1 million today) to build the library, so long as the city raised $7,000 a year for its upkeep!
With funding in place by 1903, the biggest year of donations by the Carnegie Foundation, the city went right to the library pros: John Patton and Franklin Miller! These experts built over 20 libraries in Iowa between 1900 and 1915, and they set up the Council Bluffs Free Public Library in magnificent Beaux-Arts Classical style! The library opened on August 15, 1905!
Since May 10, 2003, this historic building has been reimagined as the Union Pacific Railroad Museum with artifacts and exhibits telling the story of the rail line that stretched from Council Bluffs all the way to California!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the Union Pacific Railroad Museum!
- Donate to the Union Pacific Railroad Museum!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
200 Pearl Street
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The museum is open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM!