City Transformation: Fulfilling our long-time callings
- Pray for our city to work together for the common good, resulting in an abundance of resources for our well being, development, health, and advancement.
There are characteristics and callings for our city that have grown out of our earliest days. This week we will be praying for God’s purposes in these “roots” of our city to be fulfilled. Each day we will leverage the history of a downtown building to guide our prayers (Reference).
Carnegie Library
21 West Kiowa Street
Built 1905 / Architect Calvin Kiessling
No. 21
This is one of two Carnegie Libraries in Colorado Springs. General William
Jackson Palmer, the town’s founder, donated the site, atop a hill looking west
toward Pikes Peak. Andrew Carnegie provided $60,000 for construction costs.
Calvin Kiessling, associated with the Boston firm of Shepley, Rutan and
Coolidge, was selected following a competition, surpassing local architect
Thomas MacLaren.
Following the dominant architectural style of Carnegie libraries, this is in
Classical Revival style with Roman influences. The windows provide optimum
light, as well as views toward the Front Range. The building was embellished
with ornate wrought iron provided by the local Hassell Iron Works. Used continuously as a library since its completion in 1905, the building acquired a 60,000 square foot addition facing Cascade Avenue in 1968. Subsequently, the Carnegie Building was renamed the Palmer Wing and now houses the Library’s special collections and Local History resources, including the records of General Palmer’s Colorado Springs Company and the papers of local architect Thomas MacLaren.
Colorado Springs Prayer Focus 