#carnegie library

... stained glass ...

Art Deco chandelier from c. 1928 by French glass master Jaques Simon at the Carnegie Library of Reims, France

Sure thing! (I think this is the right one... let me know if it's not!)

Libraries Around the World: Shelbina, Missouri, US

Shelbina Carnegie Library

There's a really cool blurb about the library on their website: It turns out that, in 104 years of existing, the library has only had 4 directors!

Carnegie Library

In 1903, the town of Easton Pennsylvania chose a lot to build their new library on.

There was one problem the lot they chose contained an old cemetery. This meant 514 graves had to be moved.

Most of these remains where claimed by relatives and re-interred at other cemeteries. But there were 30 bodies that were dug up that went unclaimed.

One of these deceased was “Mammy” Elizabeth Bell Morgan who was buried under the west lawn of the new Carnegie library.

Another was William Parson who was placed in the front yard of the library.

The remaining 28 unidentified bodies were reburied in a common vault under the northeast driveway that leads to the library.

As mentioned in other posts it is never a good idea to disturb the dead.

In the case of Easton’s new library this stirred up quite a bit of paranormal activity.

Evidently, Mammy did not like being disturbed for her ghost is seen floating across the library lawn at night.

She was first spotted 3 months before the library opened, after floating across the lawn she was seen—her head glowing—looking out of one of the new building’s windows.

People who have seen her apparition over the years state she is transparent.

The driveway where the common vault is located has become a trouble spot. The area above the vault keeps sinking in and has to be repaired frequently.

The library displays a map that shows the location of these graves.

The Carnegie library building is also haunted.

People hear doors slam shut loudly and on the second floor items are often moved.

There have been numerous reports of books thrown from shelves and people who work in the library often report being touched by unseen hands.

One ghost in particular likes to mess with people’s hair as the stand near the stacks.

When Carnegie still had a card file the drawers where often seen opening and closing of there own accord.

Both employees and patrons of the library have also seen ghostly figures walking through the building’s basement.

A Christmas Reminder Udo J. Keppler (American; 1872–1956) Centerfold illustration in: Puck, Vol. 50, No. 1294 (December 18, 1901) Chromolithograph Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.