Taylors Falls Public Library
Encyclopedia
The Taylors Falls Public Library, located at 417 Bench Street in Taylors Falls
in the U.S.
state of Minnesota
was built by John Jacob Spengler as a tailor
shop in 1854; he sewed uniforms for Union Soldiers
in the Civil War, while he and his family lived in the back room of the building. The one-story two-room building features a barrel-vault ceiling in the front room and a pressed tin ceiling
in the back room. Other architectural elements include Victorian Gothic pendants, spindles, and quatro-foils in an Eastlake
style. In 1887 the building was sold to the Taylors Falls Library Association for use as a library. That use continues today; in 2007 the library received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which seeks to provide information technology
to residents of rural communities.
Taylors Falls, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 951 people, 369 households, and 247 families residing in the city. The population density was 255.6 people per square mile . There were 386 housing units at an average density of 103.7 per square mile...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
state of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
was built by John Jacob Spengler as a tailor
Tailor
A tailor is a person who makes, repairs, or alters clothing professionally, especially suits and men's clothing.Although the term dates to the thirteenth century, tailor took on its modern sense in the late eighteenth century, and now refers to makers of men's and women's suits, coats, trousers,...
shop in 1854; he sewed uniforms for Union Soldiers
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
in the Civil War, while he and his family lived in the back room of the building. The one-story two-room building features a barrel-vault ceiling in the front room and a pressed tin ceiling
Tin Ceiling
A tin ceiling is an architectural element that was very popular in Victorian buildings in North America in the late 19th and early 20th century.-History:...
in the back room. Other architectural elements include Victorian Gothic pendants, spindles, and quatro-foils in an Eastlake
Eastlake Movement
The Eastlake Movement was a nineteenth century architectural and household design reform movement started by architect and writer Charles Eastlake . The movement is generally considered part of the late Victorian period in terms of broad antique furniture designations...
style. In 1887 the building was sold to the Taylors Falls Library Association for use as a library. That use continues today; in 2007 the library received a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which seeks to provide information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
to residents of rural communities.